According to CSBC, the new Landing Platform Dock (LPD) is an important naval shipbuilding project, and is part of the government’s policy of “national shipbuilding.” The ship has a total length of 153 meters, an overall beam of 23 meters, a hull draught of 6 meters and a full-load displacement of 10,600 tons. The main task of the vessel will be amphibious operations: Serve as the main unit in an amphibious task force to carry out amphibious combat missions or perform recovery operations on Taiwan’s outer (offshore) islands, and serve as a maritime mobile field hospital. Secondary roles include disaster relief (the vessel can serve as a temporary field hospital) and international humanitarian relief.
For the record, the keel laying ceremony took place in June last year. The amphibious vessel is set to be commissioned with the ROC Navy in just one year, showing a fast construction pace by CSBC.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense:
the LPD can carry AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles, landing craft, Hummer vehicles, and 673 soldiers. The ship will also be equipped with seven or six rapid artillery, square array rapid artillery and sea sword two missiles as a self-defense weapon.
As we reported previously, the design of Taiwan’s LPD was unveiled at TADTE 2019. CSBC’s LPD features a modern design, with two enclosed masts which appear similar in concept to the Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensors (AEM/S) found aboard the San Antonio-class (LPD 17) of the U.S. Navy.
The scale model shows a 76mm main gun at the bow, two PHALANX CIWS (one forward, one aft on top the hangar) and probably the most unique feature for this future class of ship (and likely a first for an amphibious transport dock): 2×4 missile launchers amidship, likely for 2×8 TC-2N SAM and 2×2 Hsiung Feng II or III anti-ship missiles.
The design, based on the scale model, also features a large helicopter deck, two hangar doors, two shaft lines and of course a well deck.
While these four ships will likely be replacing the two outdated Newport-class LST (ROCS Chung Ho and ROCS Chung Ping) and the single Anchorage-class LSD (ROCS Hsu Hai), they will represent a huge capability increase.
Update
Based on official information released during the ceremony, there will be no anti-ship missiles after all. Weapon systems of the LPD will be limited to TC-2N, 76mm gun and Phalanx CIWS. The vessel is named “Yu Shan” ( 玉山 named after the tallest mountain in Taiwan) and received pennant number 1401…
