Taiwan receives second Tuo Chiang-class catamaran missile corvette, for commissioning soon

 

The Ta Chiang (619), which was handed over to the ROCN on 27 July 2021. Photo c/o Taiwan Military @ Twitter.

The Republic of China Navy (ROCN), also called the Taiwanese Navy, has formally received its second Tuo Chiang-class missile corvette.

The corvette, named Ta Chiang (619), was handed over to the ROCN during ceremonies held on 27 July 2021 at Lung Teh Shipbuilding's facility in Suao, Yilan County, with Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng presiding the event.

The new warship is an improved version of the Tuo Chiang-class, with improved stability and steath capabilities than the original design, with the first ship ROCS Tuo Chiang delivered to the ROCN in 2014.

It was launched on 15 December 2020, and is scheduled for commissioning with the ROCN by August 2021.

The Taiwanese Government plans to build 5 more of the improved Tuo Chiang-class missile corvettes, dubbed "aircraft carrier killers", by 2023.

The new corvettes, developed under the Hsun Hai Program, are also designed to provide a high-end, asymmetric platform to defend against amphibious assault ships and other larger capital ships.

The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes are armed with the Hsiung Feng II subsonic and Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missiles, Sky Sword II air defense missiles, a 76mm gun, a Phalanx CIWS, and two triple torpedo tubes.

It features a wave-piercing catamaran hull design, with waterjet propulsion, and a low radar cross section design.

It has a length of 60.4 meters, a displacement of 685 tons, a maximum speed of 30 knots, and an operational range of 1,800 nautical miles.

[1] Taiwan News
[2] Jane's
[3] Asia Pacific Defense Journal