Tuo Chiang-class corvette
File:沱江艦.jpg | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Tuo Chiang class |
Builders | LUNG TEH Shipbuilding, Yilan County, Taiwan |
Operators | Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy |
Preceded by | Gin Chiang patrol boat |
Cost | NT$2.2 billion (US$72.39 million)[1] |
Built | 2012- |
In commission | 2014- |
Planned | 12 |
Completed | 1 |
Active | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Coastal Corvette |
Displacement | 567 tonnes full load [2][3] |
Length | 60.4 m (198 ft)(Length on cushion) |
Beam | 14 m (46 ft) |
Draught | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) |
Propulsion | MTU 20V 4000 M93L diesel engine - rated at 4,300 kW (5,766 bhp), 4 x MJP CSU 850 waterjet |
Speed | 45 knots (83 km/h) (fully armed) |
Complement | 41 (including officers) |
Sensors and processing systems |
|
Electronic warfare & decoys | 12 counter-IR/RF chaff dispensers (6 bow and stern)[4] |
Armament |
|
Aviation facilities | Flight deck,[4] primarily for VERTREP |
The Tuo Chiang-class corvette (Chinese: 沱江; lit. 'Tuo River') is a Taiwanese designed state of the art class of fast (up to 45 knots) and stealth technology based multi-mission corvettes built for the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy to defend the democratic industrialized developed country of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from a foreign attack and invasion by the rival communist mainland People's Republic of China (PRC) or other hostile military forces. The warship is equipped with the world's most technologically advanced computer microchips that are designed and made only in Taiwan[8][9] and built partially with high-entropy metal alloys, that were invented by a Taiwanese scientist in 1995,[10] for superior strength and durability and has state of the art stealth technology features that make the warship virtually invisible to radar detection, sonar/acoustic detection, infrared detection and electromagnetic detection, and has a reduced visual signature for lower detection rates.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Developed under the Hsun Hai (Chinese: 迅海; lit. 'Swift Sea') program, the Tuo Chiang-class corvette is intended to take over many of the missions currently undertaken by larger, less maneuverable and more expensive frigates and destroyers as well as, in wartime, to function as an asymmetrical counter to larger enemy warships, submarines and aircraft carriers. The prototype ROCS Tuo Chiang (PG-618) was launched on 14 March 2014[18] and commissioned on 23 December 2014. At least eleven more ships of the class are currently under construction in Taiwan with even more ships possible.
Development
The program was announced by the Republic of China (Taiwan) Ministry of National Defense (MND) on 12 April 2010. It was developed by the Naval Shipbuilding Center in Kaohsiung, [19] The Tuo Chiang class was developed to address common weakness of traditional small warships such as patrol craft and corvettes namely poor sea-keeping, a significant handicap for warships expected to sortie for extended periods of time in rough seas around Taiwan.
In 2011, the Taiwanese Legislative Yuan approved a NT$24.98 billion (US$853.4 million) budget to fund the construction of up to 12 ships.[20]On 18 April 2011 a top military officer and a lawmaker announced that the construction of a 500-ton prototype would begin in 2012. In the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in 2013, the Navy unveiled a model of the Hsun Hai project corvette. The prototype of the Hsun Hai program was named and christened on Friday, 14 March 2014 as ROCS Tuo Chiang (PG-618) in honor of the gunboat that was a combatant in the 9-2 Sea Battle during Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.[21]
In early 2016, the ROC Navy began plans for procuring three air defense frigates. It has been speculated that these frigates would possibly be catamarans based on the Tuo River-class hull. Expected weapon systems include the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) equipped with a naval variant of the Sky Bow III and the hypersonic Sky Sword II which travels above Mach 6, possibly quad-packed in the VLS cells, as well as the Sea Oryx self-defense missile.[22] It will field a ballistic missile defense version of the Sky Bow III missile defense system to shoot down incoming enemy ballistic missiles.[23]
Design
The ship is a catamaran design which is 60.4 metres (198 ft) long, 14 metres (46 ft) wide and carries a crew of 41 personnel. It is capable of a maximum speed of 40 knots and a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi). It is armed with eight subsonic Hsiung Feng II and eight supersonic Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles launchers, a Phalanx Close-In Weapons System, and a 76 mm (3 in) main gun.[19] The ship can operate up to sea state 7 in waves up to 20–30 ft (6.1–9.1 m) high.[4] Taiwan Security Analysis Center (TAISAC) stated that the ship features stealth technologies to help evade radar detection, a combat system that includes a distributed-architecture combat direction system developed by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology and an indigenous search/track and fire-control radar and electro-optical director.[24][25][26][27]
The ship has a very high survivability during naval warfare due to its advanced stealth technology and low radar cross section (RCS), which makes it virtually invisible to radar and even more obscure when operating closer to the coastline.[28]
Ships of class
Number | Pennant Number | Name | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Status |
1 | 618 | Tuo Chiang (沱江) | Lung Teh shipyard, Su-ao | 14 March 2014 [18] | 23 December 2014[29] | Active |
See also
References
- ^ "'Carrier-killer' starts trials". Taipei Times. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ LaGrone, Sam (24 December 2014). "Taiwan Navy Takes Delivery of First Stealth 'Carrier Killer' Corvette". United States Naval Institute. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ Wong, Kelvin (19 August 2015). "Taiwan highlights new features, further development for Tuo Jiang stealth corvette". IHS Jane's 360. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d Minnick, Wendell (31 December 2014). "Taiwan Navy Accepts New Catamaran". Defensenews.com. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/taiwanese-navy-accidentally-fires-nuclear-8730387
- ^ http://defencenews.in/article/At-Mach-10,-Taiwans-Hsiung-Feng-III-Anti-China-Missiles-could-be-faster-than-the-BrahMos-18873
- ^ https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1718956/taiwanese-navy-accidentally-fires-hypersonic-missile-at-fishing-vessel-as-tensions-with-enemies-china-ratcheted-up
- ^ https://in.pcmag.com/chipsets-processors/120341/tsmc-set-to-beat-intel-to-become-the-worlds-most-advanced-chipmaker
- ^ https://www.economist.com/business/2018/04/05/tsmc-is-about-to-become-the-worlds-most-advanced-chipmaker
- ^ http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/06/10/2003648301
- ^ http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/12/12/taiwanese-navy-showcases-new-killer-stealth-corvette.html
- ^ http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/naval/ships/2014/12/23/taiwan-launches-its-largest-ever-missile-ship/20826049/
- ^ http://phys.org/news/2011-07-taiwan-stealth-technology-breakthrough.html
- ^ http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/taiwan-navy-launches-new-stealth-boat
- ^ http://www.businessinsider.com/taiwan-navy-stealth-missile-warship-corvette-2014-12
- ^ https://news.usni.org/2014/12/24/taiwan-navy-takes-delivery-first-stealth-carrier-killer-corvette
- ^ http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1668158/taiwan-navy-testing-stealth-frigates
- ^ a b "Taiwan launches first carrier killer stealth missile corvette". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b Cole, J. Michael (12 April 2012). "'Carrier killer' program goes ahead". Taipei Times. Taipei. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ "Taiwan's first stealth missile corvette christened Tuo River". Want China Times. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ ROC Navy to Build Three Air Defense Catamaran Corvettes based on Tuo River-class - Navyrecognition.com, 15 March 2016
- ^ Taiwan's NCSIST Successfully Tested a Ship-based Variant of Tien Kung III BMD Interceptor - Navyrecognition.com, 2 January 2017
- ^ "Taiwan shows images of carrier killer". UPI.com. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ "Taiwan developing 'carrier killer' for navy: report". Spacewar.com. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ Minnick, Wendell (18 April 2010). "Taiwan Plans Stealthy 900-Ton Warships". Defensenews.com. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ^ "Missile Launchers, Vessels, UAVs Unveiled at TADTE". Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ Taiwan Navy Emphasizing Domestic Shipbuilding Program in Ongoing Maritime Restructure - News.USNI.org, 25 March 2016
- ^ Pan, Jason (24 December 2014). "'Tuo Jiang' commissioned into service at Suao event". Taipei Times. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
External links
- Taiwanese navy accidentally fires NUCLEAR missile at China
- At Mach 10, Taiwan's Hsiung Feng III hypersonic nuclear missile could be faster than the Brahmos
- Taiwanese navy accidentally fires hypersonic missile at China
- Hsun Hai (Swift Sea) Tuo Jiang - missile corvette - Globalsecurity
- ‘Carrier-killer’ starts trials - Taipei Times
- Fast-attack boat efficacy questioned - Taipei Times
- Taiwan Navy Emphasizing Domestic Shipbuilding Program in Ongoing Maritime Restructure - USNI News
- The End of the Flimsy Surface Ship Navy is Here - Combat Reform
- Taiwan seeking Aegis destroyers from U.S.: report - Reuters
- Absalon Class Littoral Support Ships - Defense Media Network
- Why Taiwan Needs Submarines - The Heritage Foundation
- Lung Teh shipyard specifications