The Republic of China Navy has formally fashioned the Coastal Fight Command, which at present controls the Haifeng Brigade outfitted with each cellular and fixed-position anti-ship missile programs. The command was fashioned by integrating three squadrons: the Naval Vanguard Flotilla, the Maritime Surveillance Command, and the Kuang Hua 6 missile boat squadron from the 131st Naval Fleet. Unconfirmed stories point out that it has additionally integrated the Marine Corps’ Air Defence Guard Battalion, which is accountable for the defence and safety of cellular missile and cellular radar positions, and the Mine-laying Squadron from the 192nd Naval Fleet.
The Republic of China Ministry of Nationwide Defence has ordered 100 land-based Harpoon Coastal Defence Programs and 400 related missiles from the US, that are anticipated to revolutionise coastal defence capabilities. Though it was confirmed in February that the Navy had begun to obtain cellular Harpoon missile launch programs, with pictures confirming automobiles related to the brand new system, together with cellular missile launchers, radar automobiles, and command-and-control items, unclear progress in procurement efforts has led legislators in Taipei to suggest freezing the finances for the Harpoon Missile Coastal Defence System. Deliveries are projected to be performed in phases below a schedule agreed by Taipei and Washington, with 32 full programs supposed to be delivered by the tip of 2026, adopted by 68 extra in 2027.
Harpoon missiles ordered for the Republic of China Armed Forces are of the RGM-84L-4 Block II (U) variant, which has an improved vary and superior steerage and focusing on capabilities to prior variants, however continues to be thought-about to be of restricted worth in opposition to properly defended warships as a result of its sluggish velocity, lack of radar evading capabilities, and restricted vary. A fleet of cellular launch automobiles and radar programs able to supporting Harpoon missile launches nonetheless stays on the core of the Republic of China Navy’s uneven anti-access area-denial technique in opposition to the Chinese language mainland. The supply of the Harpoon Coastal Defence System represents a part of a much wider effort by the US to quickly strengthen the RoCAF’s strike capabilities, with ATACMS ballistic missile programs and HIMARS rocket artillery being delivered, whereas a number of single use unmanned assault plane are being developed collectively.
The Ministry of Nationwide Defence introduced in June that the primary commander of the Coastal Fight Command could be Vice Admiral Chien Shih-yuan, previously the Chief of Workers of the Workplace of the Minister of Nationwide Defence. Officers clarified that the Coastal Operations Command is just not but “formally fashioned,” solely its organisational construction is operational, and at present solely instructions the Naval Vanguard Flotilla and the Maritime Surveillance Command. The progress of procuring coastal defence programs outfitted with Harpoon missiles, that are to kind the spine of the brand new command’s arsenal, stays unclear. Whereas unconfirmed stories from native media point out {that a} small variety of launch automobiles and radar automobiles have been delivered and are being put in, this has not been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence.
