ROC Navy

Taiwan Navy releases details of submarine accident: search for 3 missing sailors continues

Submaring 794 "Hai Hu" of Taiwan Navy
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

Taiwan navy officials revealed details of the events leading to six crew members falling overboard from the deck of a submarine, December 21, as a search for three of the crew who remain missing entered the sixth day, today, Tuesday, December 26. Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Wu Li-ping said at a press briefing today that the crew of the Hai Hu (Sea Tiger) submarine were on a training mission in waters off the southwestern coast of Taiwan, December

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Tourist hotspot transformed into missile launch pad as Taiwan counters Chinese military threat

mobile missile launchers in southern Taiwan
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , , , ,

Tourists visiting a popular scenic spot on Hengchun Peninsula in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County today were confronted with a large mobile missile unit deployed in the carpark, as Taiwan’s military responded to Chinese air and sea maneuvers around the island. According to media reports, the anti-ship missiles were deployed at the location yesterday evening, April 9, and in the past have only been deployed on military bases and military training grounds. The fact that the missiles are deployed in such

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What response as Chinese military surrounds and harasses Taiwan?

Taiwan military anti-aircraft gun juxtaposed with 101 building, Xinyi District, Taipei City
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Taiwan’s military forces are on the alert and actively responding to provocative actions by the Chinese military as China lays siege to the island in a “rehearsal” for an encirclement and possible invasion of the island nation, but no international friends have come forward in any significant way to deter the aggressive act. On the first day of a three-day exercise dubbed “United Sword” by People’s Republic of China, Chinese warships and aircraft crossed the once-respected center line of the

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Army, Navy joint military exercises at key strategic beach on Taiwan’s northwest coast

composite image showing army troops on shore and naval vessel during military exercise
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A Taiwan ROC Navy Tank landing ship maneuvered close to a beach in Taoyuan City identified as a key strategic landing beach if the PLA were to launch an invasion, during joint army-navy combat drills yesterday, March 8. Zhuwei Beach, adjacent to Zhuwei Fishing Port, is one of 14 beaches labeled as “red beaches” in Ian Easton’s 2017 book, The Chinese Invasion Threat: Taiwan’s Defense and American Strategy in Asia. The beaches mentioned in Easton’s book include Jinshan (North), Jinshan

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Two new rapid minelaying boats inaugurated at Zuoying Naval Base

Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the inauguration ceremony for two new rapid minelaying boats at Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung City today, December 14. The two boats will form the 1st and 2nd Mine Boat Squadrons of the 192nd Fleet (Minesweeper Fleet) of the ROC Navy. The navy spent NT$917.7 million to commission four of the vessels which were all delivered by Longteh Shipbuilding Company in 2021. President Tsai said that the shipbuilding program demonstrates Taiwan’s achievements in promoting the

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Navy takes delivery of two more rapid mine-laying ships, increasing asymmetric combat power

rapid mine-laying boat docking at Su'ao Harbor
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwan’s ROC Navy officially took delivery of two rapid mine-laying ships at a ceremony yesterday, December 16, marking an upgrade in national defense research and development, and the improvement of naval mine-laying capability. The two vessels, FMLB-2 and FMLB-3 are the second and third of four rapid mine-laying ships to be built by domestic shipbuilder Lungteh Shipbuilding. The first of the tentatively-named “Minjiang” Class mine-laying ships was launched August 4, 2020. According to the Ministry of National Defense, the ships

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New warship a milestone in domestic naval shipbuilding: named after Taiwan’s tallest mountain

President Tsai Ing-wen and officials at ship launch ceremony
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the naming ceremony and launch of the navy’s first amphibious dock transport ship today, saying that the ship marks a milestone in domestic naval shipbuilding. The “Yushan,” named after Taiwan’s tallest mountain, Mt Jade, symbolizes the spirit of the national military who are not afraid of challenges, the president said. Built by Taiwan International Shipbuilding (CSBC Corporation TWSE: 2208 ), the 10,600-tonne No.1401, ROCN Yushan is designed to meet operational requirements for amphibious assault, and personnel

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Navy accelerates production of “carrier killer” corvettes in response to communist military threats

ROC Navy Tuo Chiang class stealth missile corvette
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments ,

Taiwan’s ROC Navy is ramping up production of Tuo-chiang class corvettes, and the missiles to arm them, in response to “the communist military threat to Taiwan,” Liberty Times reported today, December 25. The navy originally planned to take delivery of three of the ships by 2025, but now wants six of the “carrier killers” delivered by 2023. Alongside the accelerated production of the ships, the military is coordinating with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to also ramp

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Retired submarine officer’s new book criticizes Taiwan’s indigenous submarine building project

ROC Navy submarine
Breaking News Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A retired senior officer of Taiwan’s 256th Submarine Squadron has published a new book discussing probable Chinese PLA Navy tactics to blockade Taiwan’s military and commercial ports in wartime, and questioning choices made in Taiwan’s indigenous submarine building program. Captain Jyh-Perng Wang ( 王志鵬, pinyin: Wang, Zhi-peng), former director of the Taiwan Naval Submarine Team Training Center, and former planning officer in the Strategic Planning Department of the Ministry of Defense, discusses the technology available to the PLA, and the

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Historic navy ship sold as scrap iron gets last minute reprieve

Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A ship that began service in World War II, and was recently sold as scrap metal, may be kept as a historical monument after the navy decided to postpone signing a sales contract for one month. [See previous story: Veteran navy ship sold for scrap.] The tank landing ship Chung Hai ( 中海) was decommissioned in 2010 after 65 years of service with the ROC Navy. Since then it has been berthed in the Port of Kaohsiung. During its service

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Veteran Navy Ship sold for scrap

Chung Hai LST-201
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A ship that took part in action in World War II as part of the US Navy, and during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1958 as part of the ROC Navy, was sold as scrap metal, despite protests from military historians and enthusiasts. The Chung Hai (LST-201) began life as the USS LST-755 tank landing ship in 1944, and was used by the US Navy in two landing operations in the Philippines. After World War II it was sold

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