Politics

Refitted minehunters boost ROC naval defenses

Two former U.S. Navy Osprey class minehunters, which arrived in Taiwan Aug. 2, will enhance the island’s naval defenses. (CNA)

• Publication Date：08/03/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today

Taiwan has taken delivery of two refitted Osprey class minehunters from the U.S., helping beef up the island’s naval defense capabilities, the ROC navy said Aug. 2.

A welcoming ceremony will be held at the Zuoying naval base in the southern port city of Kaohsiung Aug. 10, presided over by Adm. Tung Hsiang-lung, ROC chief of navy.

With the ability to locate and destroy naval mines in sea blockades, the two ships will significantly boost the navy’s combat preparedness as well as its capacity to protect sea lanes and communications off Taiwan’s coast, a navy official said. They use high-definition sonar to locate mines, and a remote-controlled underwater vehicle to neutralize them.

The refurbished coastal minehunters—the USS Oriole and USS Falcon—were first launched in 1995 and 1997, respectively, and decommissioned by the U.S. Navy in 2007.

The resale of the ships to Taiwan, including retrofitting, personnel training and related support services, was approved by Washington in 2010. (SB-THN)