TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Navy’s third Tuo Chiang-class guided missile corvette, also known as an “aircraft carrier killer,” will take to the water by the end of December, reports said Saturday (Oct. 1).
The first ship in the series, the Ta Chiang, was introduced in Dec. 2020, while the second, the Fu Chiang, on Sept. 21, according to a report to be presented by Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) at the Legislative Yuan next Wednesday (Oct. 5), CNA reported.
Each corvette in the class was equipped with 16 Sea Sword II air-defense missiles, four Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missiles, and eight Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missiles.
The Ministry of National Defense wanted 10 of the “carrier killers” to be launched from this year until 2026 in the face of the growing threat from China. After United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in August, Beijing launched large-scale live-fire drills all along its coast, with missiles fired into outer space over Taiwan.