Taiwan has already built four Tuo Chiang missile corvettes, and intends to add another six by 2026 while also building in parallel eight light frigates, the first of which will be laid down this year.
The Republic of China Navy expects to have 10 Tuo Chiang-class corvettes before 2026, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced recently.
The MND said the fourth to sixth ships are scheduled to be launched before the end of this year. The Navy has already launched the prototype Tuo Chiang and the Ta Chiang, Fu Chiang, and Hsu Chiang, per Liberty Times.
Meanwhile, the construction of the seventh to eleventh vessels is expected to be completed before 2026. This second batch of ships costs more than NT$9 billion (US$293.5 million).
Corvettes from the first batch are armed with 16 Sea Sword anti-aircraft missiles, eight Hsiung Feng II subsonic anti-ship missiles, and four Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missiles. However, the second batch of ships will be equipped with eight Hsiung Feng IIIs and four Hsiung Feng IIs.