Taiwan has taken a significant stride in its naval development with the debut of its new, domestically designed corvette, which has stealth capabilities. The Danjiang, which is 60.4 meters (198 feet) long and 14 meters (46 feet) wide, employs a catamaran hull design to increase stability and maneuverability.
With a range of more than 1,800 nautical miles (2,071 miles/3,334 kilometers), it can travel at speeds of up to 30 knots (55 kilometers/h or 34.5 miles per hour).
The ship is equipped with an automatic cannon and a variety of anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, enabling it to attack both air and sea targets at the same time. Amid increasing regional tensions, particularly in response to China, which asserts that the island is its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it, the Danjiang is a component of Taipei’s effort to modernize its navy and strengthen its defense posture.
This month, Taiwan unveiled its annual “Han Kuang” military drills, which are set to take place from July 9–18. The drills will simulate a possible Chinese assault using newly acquired US-made rocket systems as their centerpiece.
With 22,000 people participating in what will be the longest iteration since the drills started in 1984, when the island was still under martial law, the drills include active duty soldiers and the largest deployment of reservists ever.
