ROC Navy Catamaran Corvette "Tuo River", first Taiwanese LCS, started Sea Trials

: Posted On Sunday, 28 September 2014 17:19

Naval Defense News - Taiwan

ROC Navy Catamaran Corvette "Tuo River", first Taiwanese LCS, started Sea Trials

Taiwan's first vessel in a new class of 12 catamaran corvettes started its trials at sea. The "Tuo River" was going out at sea for the first time from Suao in northeastern Taiwan's Yilan county, where it was christened in March this year. The corvette will undergo a series of sea trials before its commissioning expected in the first half of 2015.

Taiwan's first unit in a new class of 12 catamaran corvettes started its trials at sea. The "Tuo River" was going out at sea for the first time from Suao in northeastern Taiwan's Yilan county, where it was christened in March this year. The corvette will undergo a series of sea trials before its commissioning expected in the first half of 2015.

The "Tuo River" Catamaran Corvette sailing under its own power. Picture: Internet/Lee Chung Wei

This new vessel project was first unveiled during TADTE 2013, the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition, in August 2013. The corvette was built by the Lung-De Shipbuilding Corporation under the "Swift Sea" program.

With a length of 60.4 meters this corvette size vessel is designed for littoral operations. A sign on display at the show indicated:
"In order to face the increasing threat across the Taiwan Strait, ROC Navy has developed a new type of Littoral Combat Ship, High Efficiency Wave Piercing Catamaran (WPC). This ship design increases ship mobility, and provides for greater stealth technology, larger capacity, and better adaptability to environmental conditions. This new class of ships is designed by Naval Shipbuilding Development Center (NSDC) and Ship Ocean Industries R&D Center (SOIC). The High Efficiency Wave Piercing Catamaran (WPC) is currently under construction by the Lund-De Shipbuilding Corporation."

The "Tuo River" in the port of Suao in northeastern Taiwan's Yilan county. Picture: Internet/Lee Chung Wei

This Taiwanese "Littoral Combat Ship" is heavily armed for its size as it is fitted with no less than 16 anti-ship missiles. Representatives at the show said the catamaran corvette may fire both Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III missiles making it a potent ASUW platform. HF-3 missile is expected to have a range of 130 kilometers and is reported to be capable of reaching speeds of Mach 2 while the older generation HF-2 missile has a range of 160 kilometers and reach subsonic speeds.

In addition to anti-ship missiles, the corvette is fitted with a 76mm main gun, 4x 12.7mm machine guns and a Phalanx 20mm CIWS. There is no helicopter hangar; however the deck may accommodate a medium size helicopter (10 tons class). Propulsion is achieved through 4 waterjets.

Basic ship specifications:
Length: 60.4m
Width: 14m
Depth: 6m
Max draught: 2.3m
Max speed: 38 knots
Endurance: 2000 nautical miles
Crew: 34

At TADTE 2013, the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition, ROC Navy (Republic of China - Taiwan) unveiled a vessel currently under construction by the Lung-De Shipbuilding Corporation dubbed the "High Efficiency Wave Piercing Catamaran (WPC)"

The "High Efficiency Wave Piercing Catamaran" Taiwan's Navy future Littoral Combat Ship solution under the Hsun Hai program was first unveiled during the TADTE 2013 defense exhibition in August 2013.