TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Navy is postponing the launch of its Littoral Warfare Command from January to July because staffing levels, equipment, and training are behind schedule, reports said Friday.
The new unit is supposed to combine missile speedboats, anti-ship missiles, and the maritime surveillance department, the Liberty Times reported. The Littoral Warfare Command will be the Navy’s third command, next to the Fleet Command and the Marine Corps Command.
Anti-ship missiles used by the Navy include the subsonic Hsiung Feng II with a range of 150 kilometers, the supersonic Hsiung Feng III, and the Hsiung Feng III with an extended range of 400 km. Taiwan is also in the process of receiving 400 coastal-based Harpoon anti-ship missiles from the US.
The Littoral Warfare Command will also include 30 Kuang Hua VI fast attack missile boats, helping it to combine functions including maritime surveillance and monitoring, and land-based and sea-based anti-ship capabilities. Staffing levels could turn it into the largest command inside the Navy.
