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Locally-built missile fast boat squadron launched

ROC Central News Agency

2010/05/18 20:39:47

By Cheng Chi-feng and Deborah Kuo

Kaohsiung, May 18 (CNA) Taiwan's first squadron of 10 missile fast boats, built by CSBC Corporation, Taiwan, was launched at the Zuoying Naval Base Tuesday, marking a milestone in the development of locally-built military vessels.

Chief of the General Staff Lin Chen-yi officiated at the launching ceremony, with Cheng Wen-lon, chairman of the CSBC, the country's largest shipbuilder, present.

The Haichiao class fast attack craft, dubbed the Kuanghua No. 6, is 34.2 meters long, 7.6 meters wide, with a displacement of 171 tons standard, according to the Republic of China Navy.

With a speed up to 33 knots, the Kuanghua No. 6 missile boat is equipped with advanced surveillance and firing systems. Besides cutting-edge radar and data link, its metallic hull, covered with certain special coating, gives the craft a stealth function, allowing the fast boat to be mistaken on the radar as a fishing boat, according to the Navy.

Kuanghua No. 6's offensive weapons are four Hsiung Feng IIE surface-to-surface cruise missiles developed by the military's Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology. They are much more powerful than the short-range Hsiung Feng I missiles that were mounted on the first-generation Seagull-class missile boats.

CSBC has already delivered 12 Haichiao-class missile fast boats to the navy and 18 others are under construction. When all the 18 fast attack craft are delivered by late 2011, 30 out of the existing 50 Seagull-class boats will be retired, the Navy said.