Taiwan has strengthened its naval fleet with the commissioning of the Dan Chiang, the newest Tuo Chiang-class stealth corvette built under the country’s indigenous shipbuilding program. The commissioning ceremony was held at Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung, where the vessel officially joined the Republic of China Navy alongside its sister ships, Tuo Chiang and Ta Chiang. Taiwan aims to have the entire fleet of 12 Tuo Chiang-class corvettes in operational service before the end of the year. Designed primarily for coastal defense, the Tuo Chiang-class combines a stealthy catamaran hull with high-speed performance, reducing radar visibility while maintaining excellent stability in maritime operations. The warships are armed with Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missiles, air-defense weapons, and other precision-guided munitions, while selected variants can deploy long-range strike missiles capable of reaching targets up to 400 kilometers away. The induction of Dan Chiang supports Taiwan’s long-term naval modernization initiative. The navy is scheduled to construct 10 additional next-generation light frigates between 2028 and 2040 after completing two prototype ships. The future fleet will include five air-defense and five anti-submarine warfare frigates under a program valued at approximately NT$250 billion (US$7.7 billion). Complementing its surface fleet expansion, Taiwan also plans to produce more than 1,200 Hai Chien II (Sea Sword II) missiles, following the weapon’s successful live-fire test against a simulated drone target earlier this year.
