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Big and bad versus lean and mean

China wishes to become an oceanic power with the capacity to project control over the South China Sea and the waters around Taiwan. Some analysts also believe that China wants to fill the vacuum the US is leaving as it continues to withdraw from East Asia.

For China this requires a large and powerful naval force. Tai-wan's reaction to this strategy is defense. Ironically, both nations have resorted to matching their warships tonnage for tonnage to reach their objectives. China has two 7,940-tonne Sovremenny-class destroyers and Taiwan has been offered four 9,900-tonne Kidd-class destroyers.

Taiwan's interest in the Kidd-class has opened a debate between two schools of thought on naval defense. The first seeks to have a "big and bad" navy made up of large destroyers like the Kidd and Arleigh Burke. This navy would counter China's two destroyers, over 40 submarines and plans for the acquisition of aircraft carriers.

The Kidd is one of the few warships capable of operating so quietly that it can hunt submarines. Its anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine capabilities are unique and make it one of the most feared and powerful warships. A "big and bad" navy made up of four such destroyers would immediately challenge China's Sovremenny-class destroyers.

During the Cold War many naval analysts compared the two types of destroyers in hairy apocalyptic scenarios. The two classes quickly became rivals on the high seas. One of the Kidds, the USS Callaghan, was deployed to Taiwan during the 1996 Strait crisis.

But Taiwan might have problems with the Kidds' size. They are twice as big as anything currently in the navy. Their 10m draft will necessitate expansion operations at Tsoying Naval Base and modifications of other ports. With Taiwan's financial downturn, many are expressing reservations over the Kidd's enormous maintenance and manpower costs. Taiwan is expected to make a final decision on the Kidd sale within three months.

Taiwan's dreams of buying an AEGIS-equipped Arleigh Burke might have to be permanently shelved. The US has never sold an Arleigh Burke to any nation and the ships are extremely expensive. The US has sold the AEGIS Combat System to Japan, Spain and Norway, which de-signed platforms to accommodate AEGIS. If Taiwan wants the AEGIS, it will have to design a platform that can house it, and then convince the US to sell the system.

The second school seeks to have a "lean and mean" navy made up of more agile frigates, fast attack boats and submarines that require less manpower and maintenance, and heavily armed with anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons that could cripple an invading fleet. Taiwan has just finalized plans to begin building 30 150-tonne stealth guided-missile boats. The navy plans to arm them with Hsiung Feng 2 (Brave Wind) anti-ship missiles and later with Hsiung Feng 3 which have land attack capabilities. It is also building its eighth Cheng-kung-class (Perry-class) frigate, dubbed Tien Tan, which has proven itself very capable.

Most navies prefer ambush as the strategy of engagement. The "lean and mean" navy would be harder to locate and destroy. Fast attack patrol boats, frigates, and submarines would be a major annoyance to China during a war.

Both schools of thought require submarines. The eight diesel submarines the US has offered are needed to defend the Kidds and can also be used for lone-wolf operations. The type of navy Taiwan needs to defend against an invasion by China is debatable. Both schools of thought are valid, but Taiwan cannot do both. It does not have the manpower or the money to do so.

Wendell Minnick is the Taiwan correspondent for Jane's Defence Weekly. His email address is wminnick@hotmail.com
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