Taiwan commissioned new naval minelayers on Friday, January 14 to beef up its defenses against China.
President Tsai Ing-wen officiated at the commissioning of the Navy’s First and Second Mining Operations squadrons, which will operate ships capable of mechanically sowing vast numbers of small but powerful mines at rapid speeds without the use of divers.
Such technologies are part of a strategy to deter any future invasion by China, which has a massive military and significant numerical superiority in aircraft, ships, and other weaponry.
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China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military exercises and dispatched fighter jets and other planes to fly near the island in an attempt to seize control of the island, if necessary by force.
The initial contract for four ships from Lungteh Shipbuilding is part of Tsai’s effort to resurrect the domestic arms sector and minimize Taiwan’s reliance on the United States for defense weapons.
Lungteh also manufactures missile corvettes, patrol boats, and other craft for the Taiwanese military and police, as well as civilians.
Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology in Taiwan invented the automatic mine-laying system.
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https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2022/01/14/taiwan-adds-minelaying-to-defenses-against-china/