TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has decided to outfit later Tuo Chiang-class corvettes with additional Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles.

The MND said that out of the 10 ships it has ordered, the first batch of five vessels will be equipped with eight Hsiung Feng II and four Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles, while the second batch of five vessels will have four Hsiung Feng II and eight Hsiung Feng III missiles, Liberty Times reported. The ships will be built between 2022 and 2026.

Military officials said that increasing the number of Hsiung Feng III missiles will help enhance the Navy's anti-ship capabilities.

The MND held an online naming event in April for the ships and announced the results in May. The top 10 names were: An Chiang (安江), Wan Chiang (萬江), Hsu Chiang (旭江), Liu Chiang (柳江), Fu Chiang (富江), Wu Chiang (武江), Wu Chiang (浯江), Tan Chiang (丹江), Lan Chiang (蘭江), and Bao Chiang (寶江).

Each ship is armed with Sea Sword air defense missiles, a 76 mm gun, a T-74 machine gun, and a Phalanx close-in weapon system, giving it the ability to hit air and sea targets simultaneously.

The ships have a maximum speed of 40 knots (74 kmh), a displacement of 685 tonnes, and a maximum operational range of 1,800 nautical miles (3,333 km).