The navy yesterday unveiled two refurbished minesweepers acquired from the US last year during a demonstration in waters off Greater Kaohsiung simulating a submarine intrusion.
A Lafayette-class frigate with media onboard, accompanied by two Chengkung-class frigates, a German-made minesweeper and two Osprey-class mine hunters headed into the Taiwan Strait to seek out an intruder submarine.
The mine hunters — MHC 1310 and 1311 — were obtained in August.
Photo: Reuters
Six Kuang Hua VI fast-attack missile boats, an S-2T Turbo Tracker anti-submarine aircraft and an S-70C helicopter, which dropped a sonobuoy to locate the enemy submarine, were also involved in the drill.
A navy Hai Lung submarine surfaced after the S-70 dropped a Mk46 torpedo.
It was the first time that the Osprey mine hunters had been on public display.
A number of vessels anchored at Tsuoying Naval Base, including some that participated in the exercise, showed that progress is being made in a NT$12 billion (US$406 million) program launched in May 2011 to outfit the Chengkung frigates, as well as the domestically made Ching Chiang-class patrol boats, with Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles.
Four HF-3 launchers were seen on the two Chengkung-class frigates, PFG 1105 and PFG 1109, that took part in the exercise. In all, 120 HF-3s are to be added to the navy’s arsenal under the program.
Taiwan’s submarine chasing capabilities will be substantially enhanced after it receives 12 refurbished US P-3C Orion maritime aircraft to replace the aging S-2Ts, which were acquired in the 1980s.
Navy officials said the exercise highlighted the nation’s military preparedness and combat readiness ahead of the Lunar New Year.
A second day of exercises is planned for today at army and air force bases in Hualien.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
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