The budget proposal, “Annual reports on the China’s military strength”(中共軍力報告書) and “Five year’s military strength construction and administrative plan”(五年兵力整建及施政計畫) mentions a number of new naval weapon systems, naval programs or naval facilities.
MQ-9B SeaGuardian
The budget proposal allocates NT$21.70 billion to Taiwan’s Air Force for fiscal years 2022-2025, for the procurement of four MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAVs. In 2020, then defense minister Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發) told Legislators that MQ-9B UAVs will be deployed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, but according to the budget proposal, these SeaGuardian UAVs will actually be capable of conducting strikes.
Kang Ding-class Frigate MLU
The ROC Navy will be allocated NT$43.15 billion to upgrade the combat management system, radar system, air defense missile system of its six La Fayette type, Kang Ding-class frigates from 2021 until 2030. The Sea Chaparral missiles currently fitted aboard the Kang Ding-class will be replaced with Sea Sword II (海劍二, also called TC-2N), developed by National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST). Sea Chaparral is notorious for its alleged extremely short 5 to 8 km range. An anonymous said more than 200 Sea Sword II missiles will be mass produced in the coming years.
MH-60R
As we reported previously, more than NT$27 billion is allocated to Taiwanese Navy for purchasing 10 MH-60R ASW helicopters, anti-submarine sonar systems, advanced avionics systems, MK-54 or MK-50 torpedoes, anti-ship variant of the Hellfire missiles, laser-guided rockets, machine guns. Details of the specific amount of money of this budget, is reported to be included in the classified part of the 2022 defense budget.
Upgrade to Wuchiu Port
ROC Navy also seek NT$1.165 billion (US$42.18 million) budget from 2022-2027 to renovate the Wuchiu (烏坵) Port in the remote island of Kinmen County, in order to boost defense and patrol capabilities. Chinese fishing boats illegally entering Taiwanese waters for fishing become very common in recent years. These Chinese fishing boats have become a threat to the security of the area and Taiwanese force stationed there. Currently, Wuchiu Port have only a basic wharf built long time ago for transportation and replenishment operations, and there are no large facilities to shelter vessels. The ROC Navy said a there is an urgent need to renovate the port for improving the efficiency of patrol, transportation and replenishment operations.
