TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has already received 11 of the 13 MK15 Block 1B gun systems it ordered from the United States for the Navy, reports said Friday (March 31).

The MK15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) includes rapid-fire quick-reaction guns designed to stop anti-ship missiles which have penetrated other defenses. The two final systems will arrive by the end of the year, the Liberty Times reported.

The military are using a period of repairs for some ships to install the new guns, which will increase their defenses against missiles as well as small vessels, helicopters, and mines or submarines close to the surface.

The Navy has sent the eight older Block 1A systems it previously used to the U.S. to have their capabilities upgraded, a procedure scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025, per the Liberty Times.

The 20-millimeter Gatling cannon used by the MK15 can fire 4,500 rounds per minute and reach targets up to 1.5 kilometers away. New features on the Block 1B version include an infrared sensor to detect surface targets and optimized barrels lasting longer and improving performance.