The Anping-class patrol vessel can fire up to 16x anti-ship missiles.
The second Anping-class ship, Chenggong (CG-602), was named by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on December 11 2020, at the delivery ceremony of Anping (CG-601) and launching, naming ceremony of Chenggong. The name Chenggong, means “success” in Mandarin Chinese. CGA said that Chenggong will be assigned to the Eastern Sector Flotilla, to protect Taiwan’s maritime rights and local fishermen operating in waters off eastern Taiwan.
The handover ceremony was held in a shipyard of Kaohsiung City-based Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Company (中信造船，JSSC), the shipbuilder which will build all 12 planned Anping-class patrol vessel.
Kaohsiung is the largest city of Southern Taiwan, and the largest commercial port of Taiwan. Taiwan’s biggest naval port and navy base, Tsoying Naval Base (海軍左營基地), is also located at Kaohsiung City.
Because of the massive Coronavirus infection break out in Taiwan in early May, Taiwan’s disease controlling body, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) issued strict regulations to prevent further Covid-19 outbreak. As a consequence, the ceremony was scaled-down. Only personnel who are legally required to be present attended the ceremony. Media was not invited.
According to Taiwan’s state-owned news agency, Minister of Ocean Affairs Council (OCA) Lee Chung-wei(李仲威), Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Company Chairman Han Pi-hsiang(韓碧祥), commanding officer of Chenggong, Liu Kang-yi(劉康義) attended the ceremony.
The design of the Anping class is based on the Taiwanese Navy (ROC Navy)’s Tuo-chiang class missile corvette. The CGA press release showed that Anping-class can withstand Beaufort scale force 9 wind, traveling at over 44 knots maximum speed. Anping class is fitted with high-pressure water cannon, 20mm guns, remote weapons stations, and there is space for converting the patrol vessel into a missile corvette armed with Hsiung Feng II and/or Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles.
About Tuo-chiang class corvette
The Tuo-chiang class corvette is designed to counter Chinese navy ships by conducting hit-and-run tactics, and is dubbed as “Carrier-killer”by some Taiwanese media. The prototype of the class was named and launched in 2014. Taiwanese navy (ROC Navy) is planning to build 12 Tuo-chiang class ships, and the project is scheduled to finish in 2026.
Tuo-chiang class is fitted with Hsiung Feng-II and Hisung Feng-III anti-ship missiles, OTO Melara 76 mm main gun, Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. The second and follow up ships of the class, are upgraded and modified, they are equipped with TC-2N surface to air missile that the prototype doesn’t have. The upgraded ships have a displacement of 685 tons, a little bit larger than the 600-ton prototype.
