The Taiwanese Navy on Oct. 1 put into service the first locally designed “stealth” missile boat to boost the island’s defense capabilities against rival China.
The 186-metric-ton missile boat, designed by the Navy, joined the fleet during a ceremony presided over by naval commander-in-chief Adm. Miao Yung-ching.
The ship made its debut in the nationÂ’s biggest war games, held Sept. 4. A Hsiungfeng II ship-to-ship missile, designed with a range of 150 kilometers, was launched from the vessel and hit the target.
The Navy plans to build 30 such missile boats under the Kuanghwa Six Project.
“After an evaluation, the Navy decided to build a fleet of fast missile boats at reasonable prices, and the construction can be completed within a short period of time. The boats are designed to serve as a deterrent,” the Navy said in a statement.
The Navy said the stealthy boat, designed to reduce the reflection of radar waves, measures 34.2 meters and is capable of cruising at a maximum speed of 33 knots.
Analysts said the boat may be able to “passively” receive intelligence collected by other Taiwanese warships and enable the fleet to launch missile blitzes against targeted enemy warships without exposing their location.
Each missile boat will be armed with four locally made Hsiungfeng II missiles.
The fleet is to replace dozens of aging 50-metric-ton Seagull missile boats, each of which is fitted with two 40-kilometer-range Hsiungfeng I missiles.
Vice Adm. Hsu Chu-sheng had said the new ships will play a critical role in the next few years, when the military balance between Taiwan and China is expected to tip towards Beijing.
China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island declare formal independence, prompting Taiwan to push for an arms build-up. Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil war.
