Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has announced that it will build 10 additional Tuo Chiang corvettes amid increasing tensions with China.
The initiative is part of the island nation’s continuing military modernization efforts to deter a possible invasion by Beijing.
The announcement comes a day after Taipei launched its third Tuo Chiang corvette.
The Tuo Chiang is equipped with Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles, Sea Sword air defense systems, a Phalanx close-in weapon system, and 76-millimeter guns.
The corvettes reportedly have a maximum speed of 40 knots (74 kilometers/46 miles per hour) and a range of up to 1,800 nautical miles (3,333 kilometers/2,071 miles).
The 10 additional Tuo Chiangs are set to be built between 2022 and 2026 and delivered to the Taiwanese Navy.