The Glorious Star (光榮之星), a catamaran-style warship serving as a surface-weapons testing platform, is to be operational by the end of this year, the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) announced yesterday.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Dec. 25 last year at a promotions ceremony for military officers called on the armed forces to beef up the nation’s defense capabilities in innovative ways to counter increasing challenges from China.
Part of those efforts involve heavy investment in technology, including indigenous military jet and warship programs beginning this year, a source told the Central News Agency at the time.
Photo provided by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology
The testing platform would cut down on time needed to research and develop surface weapon systems, the institute said, adding that it would also allow the military to test other systems and surface equipment.
The warship was launched in Yilan on March 15 and is to be handed over to the institute by the end of May, it said.
Built by Lung Teh Shipbuilding, the 80 tonne warship is 28m long and 8.4m wide, the institute said.
The bow has room to mount gun or missile turrets and the stern has space reserved for modular launcher units, it said.
The Maritime Port Bureau approved the institute’s request to build the warship on Sept. 20 last year and approved Lung Teh’s application to lay down the keel on Oct. 26.
The institute said it selected Lung Teh to build the warship after the company built the navy’s Tuo Jiang-class corvette, which is also a catamaran.
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