The Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) held a joint ceremony for the delivery of the sixth Anping-class patrol vessel, the Chi An, and the twenty-fifth 35-tonne patrol vessel, and a naming ceremony for the seventh Anping-class, the Wan Li, on Monday (May 15) at the CSBC Corporation headquarters in Kaohsiung.
OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling said the government is implementing a national defense shipbuilding policy and has allocated more than NT$42.6 billion (US$1.38 billion) to fully support the plan for more coast guard vessels, according to CNA. Over a 10-year period from 2018 to 2027, 141 new-generation coast guard ships will be built, forming a new fleet for law enforcement in Taiwanese waters, Kuan said.
Half of these ships have already been built, he added.
According to a Coast Guard Administration (CGA) press release, the Anping-class patrol vessel is a modified version of the Navy’s Tuo Jiang-class corvette. It can withstand winds up to nine on the Beaufort scale and has a top speed of more than 50 mph.
It is also equipped with a high-pressure water cannon with a maximum range of 120 meters, a remote-controlled gun turret, and a Chen Hai multi-barrel rocket system.
The vessel features a patented design for an automatic self-righting system, which enables rapid response to tasks such as search and rescue and inspection and interdiction of foreign fishing vessels.
The OAC said the Chi An will be assigned to the Eastern Flotilla Sector, serving as the second high-speed vessel responsible for protecting fishing rights within Taiwan’s maritime borders. Meanwhile, the Wan Li will be assigned to the Northern Flotilla Sector and will be responsible for patrol missions in the northern part of Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone.
The new 35-tonne patrol boat, which is highly maneuverable and capable of traveling up to 83 km/h, is equipped with a water cannon with a maximum range of 60 meters. She will deploy to the Taichung-based Coast Guard Third Flotilla to bolster law enforcement in the area.
On May 2, the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment giving the CGA the power to use deadly force if it suspects a threat or attack on CGA personnel with dangerous weapons, objects, or boats, and if there is no other way to reduce tension. situation.
Final approval for armed action still rests with the CGA director general, but when communications with headquarters are difficult or in the event of an emergency, the most senior officer on the ground can decide on the use of weapons. .
A special task force will also be established to investigate the use of firearms or cannons during such an incident.
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4892173
Category: taiwan
