Navy puts itself to test in live-fire drill

The navy yesterday launched a live-fire practice shooting on seas off Taiwan's northern-most territory -- Penchiayu islet (彭佳嶼) -- firing from three aging Yang-class destroyers that have been in commission for nearly three decades.

The navy allowed the press to witness the exercise.

The navy currently has seven Yang-class destroyers, which it received from the US between 1973 and 1983. The destroyers, called Gearing-class destroyers in the US, were used in the US navy for around 20 years before they were handed over to the Taiwan navy.

Nineteen of the 26 Yang-class destroyers from the US have been decommissioned over the past few years. Yesterday's live-fire practice shooting was launched from three of the seven Yang-class destroyers still in service.

The activity was held as part of the celebrations for the Yang-class destroyers' 60 years of service, including their years served in the US navy, navy officials said.

But the local press interpreted the exercise as aiming at declaring Taiwan's territorial claim over waters between Taiwan and the Pengchiayu islet, which is roughly 65km off of Keelung. The islet is now jointly guarded by the army and the coast guard.

The territorial claim was made as a result of a dispute last month between a Taiwan fishing boat and a Chinese anti-smuggling ship on seas off the islet.

In the dispute, armed personnel from the Chinese anti-smuggling ship boarded the Taiwan fishing boat, taking the crew members and the ship away by force.

The dispute was settled after the coast guard and a navy ship from Taiwan rushed to the scene and negotiated with the personnel on the Chinese ship for the release of the fishing boat and its crew members. A naval official said the waters where the dispute happened are open seas but are also part of Taiwan's 370km economic zone.

However, despite speculation that the territorial claim might be behind yesterday's exercise, the navy kept quiet to the press on the matter.

The live-fire practice lasted for around 30 minutes and included shooting by 75mm and 40mm guns, as well as the Phalanx anti-air gun on board the Yang-class ships.

Captain Liu Chih-chien (劉志堅), director of the navy general headquarters' information office, said there is nothing unusual about the live-fire practice shooting.

"All of the naval ships based in northern Taiwan take turns in live-fire drills at sea," Liu said.

Meanwhile, the navy has plans to extend the life of the seven Yang-class destroyers despite rumors that it will retire the aging ships to allow for spare personnel for the four Kidd-class destroyers it is to buy from the US.

Two of the Yang-class ships are already being overhauled, with a third one scheduled.

After the overhaul, the life of the Yang-class ships could be extended to another 10 or 15 years, a navy official said.