Taiwan to deploy two more stealth missile corvettes amid rising tensions with China

The two corvettes, Hsu Jiang (PGG-621) and Wu Jiang (PGG-623), will be officially commissioned into the navy in a ceremony in early May, the Taiwan-based news agency reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. .

The two corvettes, launched in February and June 2023 respectively, were delivered to the Navy this February. They are the third and fourth mass-produced Tou Jiang-class stealth missile corvettes.

Designed and built by Taiwan, the Tuo Jiang-class corvette is a fast and stealthy multi-role corvette built for the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy, reports Central News Agency Taiwan.

Apart from the prototype, Tuo Jiang (PGG-618), which was commissioned in 2015, the first batch included six corvettes, with the fifth and sixth, An Jiang and Wan Jiang, to be delivered to the navy soon, the unnamed source added.

The Navy is set to build a total of 11 Tuo Jiang-class corvettes by the end of 2026.

According to the navy, the Tuo Jiang-class corvette has a wave-piercing catamaran design, is 60.4 meters long and 14 meters wide, and is capable of a top speed of more than 30 knots and a range of 1,800 nautical miles.

The corvette is equipped with subsonic Hsiung Feng-II (HF-2) missiles, supersonic Hsiung Feng-III (HF-3) anti-ship missiles, a 76 mm cannon, and Sea Sword II carrier-based medium-range air defense missiles. Navy data shows that they have the capability to simultaneously attack air and sea targets.

Earlier, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 10 Chinese military aircraft and six naval ships across the country between 6 a.m. on Sunday (April 21) and 6 a.m. on Monday (April 22), Taiwan News reported. .

According to the Defense Ministry, eight out of 10 Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line.

In response, Taiwan dispatched aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor PLA activity.

Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan, Taiwan News reported.