War Zone – Taiwan’s biggest locally built warship is the first of a new class of landing platform docks and part of an ambitious modernization program.

Navy Recognition – According to information published by CNA on July 12, 2022, the Taiwanese Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) is expected to be launched in September.

(Thanks to Alain)

Naval News – Taiwan’s naval shipbuilder China Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) started the official sea trials of the country’s first ever indigenous landing platform dock (LPD) named “Yu Shan” (玉山 named after the tallest mountain in Taiwan) on July 6, 2022.

1945 – James Holmes writes that the prospect of seeing a few Yun Feng missiles lobbed into Beijing would neither deter nor defeat a PLA onslaught. Deploying Yun Fengs to help pummel an invasion fleet could do both.

War Zone – Taiwan’s brand new minelaying ships are training to employ the U.S.-designed Mk 6 naval mine, which was designed in 1917.

War Zone – In what could be a very useful capability if an invasion kicked-off, the Taiwanese Coast Guard conducted live-fire drills with anti-ship missiles.

War on the Rocks – A number of recent assessments have called for Taiwan to pursue an “asymmetric” dragon-choking “porcupine strategy” prioritizing “a large number of small things” for its defense. The goal of these measures is to present a robust anti-access/area-denial threat to Beijing’s aspirations in Taiwan, clouding its prospects for military and political success and, ideally, keeping the threat of Chinese invasion hypothetical through this critical decade and beyond.

Naval News – According to local media, Taiwan’s project to build the 4500-ton new generation frigate has been stalled due to budget issues.

USNI Blog – Here is a plan to counter an invasion of Taiwan by Communist China by placing mines at the entrances to the four primary harbors opposite Taiwan. The suitably sized electric surfboard operating autonomously could transport the mine across the 100 miles of the Taiwan Strait. 

Naval News – On January 11, Taiwan’s parliament approved a special budget for weapons procurement including cruise missiles for sea, shore and air and surface to air missiles.

Associated Press – Taiwan on Friday commissioned new naval minelayers to add to its defenses against rival China.

War on the Rocks – Perhaps policymakers should ask why Taiwan has chosen a different defense strategy than what the United States wants. A major reason is America itself: Washington’s policy of “strategic ambiguity” does not provide Taipei with a clear security commitment, even as American intervention is essential to any effective defense. Taiwan’s new strategy is therefore designed to maximize the likelihood of U.S. intervention, even as it reduces the longevity of its forces against Chinese attack. Washington can convince Taipei to adopt asymmetric defense by ameliorating its fears of abandonment, switching from ambiguity to clarity.

War on the Rocks – As the United States talks more and more of defending Taiwan from an attack from the mainland, Taiwan’s military seems to be taking its defense preparations less and less seriously.

Naval News – Taiwan’ shipbuilder China Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) today laid the keel of the first submarine known as Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS). The move aims at renewing the submarine forces of the Republic of China (ROC) Navy while developing a domestic capability to produce submarines.

1945 – James Holmes says that Taiwan’s best strategic defense is a good operational offense.

Reuters – China’s quest to rule Taiwan has already begun with a campaign of “gray-zone” warfare. Here is how military strategists believe the struggle might play out.

National Defense University Press – Taiwan has begun to embrace a new asymmetric defense approach focused on fighting in the littoral with smaller, more survivable systems. This is key to defeating a Chinese invasion. Support from President Tsai Ingwen has been high but there is resistance from some senior members of Taiwan’s defense establishment who favor more expensive conventional systems.

StrategyPage – For nearly a decade Taiwan has been trying to come up with a strategy that would enable the small island state to withstand a threatened Chinese attack…

War Zone – A new report from The Wall Street Journal says that contingents of U.S. special operations forces and U.S. Marines have been making more regular rotational deployments to Taiwan for at least a year now.

Naval News – 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.

Naval News – The second Tuo Chiang class corvette, Ta Chiang (塔江，PGG-619) was officially commissioned today with the Republic of China (ROC) Navy during a ceremony in presence of Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen.

Taipei Times – James Holmes writes that Taiwan should help us help you. That is my standard reply when friends from Taiwan ask how they can guarantee the US will be there for them in times of extreme peril.

South China Morning Post – Taiwan’s navy is scrapping an NT$31.6 billion (US$1.1 billion) project to build 60 mini missile assault boats originally aimed to boost the island’s asymmetric warfare ability against the mainland, a reversal that is expected to cost NT$200 million.

CIMSEC – Heavily reinforcing Taiwan through focused security subsidies while maintaining a policy of strategic ambiguity would maintain conventional deterrence through denial against China.

Naval News – The Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration yesterday received it largest ship to date. The 4000-ton class “Chiayi” (CG5001) finished its 10-month trial and was delivered to the Coast Guard Administration. The second ship in the class was launched on the same day.