Republic of China Navy

Admiral Liu Chih-pin, the current Commanding-General.

Vice Admiral Mei Chia-shu, and Tang Hua, the two current Deputy Commanding-General.

The Navy CHQs (中華民國國防部海軍司令部) is subordinate to the General Staff, the Minister of Defense, and the ROC President.

• Internal units: Personnel, Combat Readiness & Training, Logistics, Planning, Combat Systems, General Affairs, Comptroller, Inspector General, Political Warfare.
• Naval Fleets Command (艦隊指揮部)

• 124th Fleet: Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
• 131st Fleet: Keelung City, Taiwan
• 146th Fleet: Magong City, Penghu County, Taiwan
• Amphibious Fleet (151st Fleet), Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
• 168th Fleet: Suao, Yilan County, Taiwan
• 192nd Fleet (Navy Minesweeper Fleet): Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
• 256th Submarine Squadron: Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
• 261st Squadron
• Hai Chiao(Sea Dragon) PGMG Guided Missile Boat/Craft Group (海蛟大隊)

1st Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat at Suao naval base

2nd Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat

3rd Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 Hai Ou-class missile boat (Dvora class)

4th Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 Hai Ou-class missile boat (Dvora class)

5th Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 11 Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat[2][3]

• Hai Feng Shore Based Anti-ship Missile Group (海鋒大隊), operates 6 batteries of fixed/mobile HF-2 anti-ship missiles.

• 7th Hai Feng Shore Based Anti-ship Missile Squadron (海鋒大隊第七中隊), Haulien, Eastern Taiwan.[4][5][6]

• Aviation Command (operates from Pingtung, Tsoying, and Hualien AB)

• Naval Aviation, at Pingtung, will receive 12 P-3C 2013/2014.
• 1st ASW Aviation Group

• 133rd Squadron: S-2T, at Pingtung.
• 134th Squadron: S-2T, at Pingtung.

• 2nd ASW Aviation Group

• 701st Helicopter Squadron (Light), S-70C(M)-1, at Hualien.
• 702nd Helicopter Squadron (Light), S-70C(M)-2, at Tsoying.
• 501st Helicopter Squadron (Light), 500MD ASW, at Tsoying.

• Maintenance Group

• 1st Maintenance Squadron (Pingtung)
• 2nd Maintenance Squadron (Tsoying)
• 3rd Maintenance Squadron (Hualien)

• Marine Corps Command (陸戰隊指揮部)
• Education, Training and Doctrine Command (教育訓練暨準則發展司令部)
• Logistics Command (後勤司令部)
• Naval Academy, Hydrographic & Oceanographic Bureau, Shipbuilding Development Center, Communication Systems, General Service.

Sources:[7][8][9]

ROCN delegation in Washington D.C., 1930

The precursor to the modern ROC Navy was established as the Ministry of the Navy in the Provisional Government of the Republic of China in 1911 following the overthrow of the Qing dynasty. Liu Guanxiong, a former Qing dynasty admiral, became the first Minister of Navy of the Republic of China. During the period of warlordism that scarred China in the 1920s and 1930s the ROCN remained loyal to the Kuomintang government of Sun Yat-sen instead of the warlord government in Beijing which fell to the nationalist government in the 1928 northern campaign and between the civil war with the Communist Party and 1937 Japanese invasion of Northeast China. During that time and throughout World War II, the ROCN concentrated mainly on riverine warfare as the poorly equipped ROCN was not a match to Imperial Japanese Navy over ocean or coast.[10]

Following World War II, a number of Japanese destroyers and decommissioned U.S. ships were transferred to the ROC Navy. During the Chinese Civil War, the ROCN was involved in the protection of supply convoys and the withdrawal of the ROC Government and over 1 million refugees to Taiwan in 1949. The subsequent reorganization and reestablishment of the Navy after evacuation to Taiwan is referenced in the lyrics of the post 1949 ROC Navy Song "The New Navy" (新海軍).

Following the relocation of the ROC government to Taiwan, the ROCN was involved in a number of commando attack escorts, evacuation and transport of more displaced soldiers and later to provide patrols and resupply operations to Kinmen and Matsu in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea offshore islands.

Since the 1990s the Navy has grown in importance as the emphasis of the ROC's military doctrine moves towards countering a possible People's Republic of China (PRC) blockade, as well as offshore engagement. As of 2004 the ROCN had been working hard to expand its capability in electronic and anti-submarine warfare, as well as the replacement of antiquated warships and support vessels.[8] While for many years the ROCN operated hand me down and foreign designed vessels in recent years they have been operating a higher number of indigenous platforms, sensors, and weapons much of it made by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology.[11]

In April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic the ROCN cut short their semi-annual goodwill mission to Central and South America. The flotilla consisting of two frigates and a supply vessel was subject to 30 days of quarantine after returning to Taiwan.[12]

In April 2020 Taiwanese boatbuilder Karmin International Co., Ltd. won a NT$450-million (US$14.9-million) contract to supply the Republic of China Navy with eighteen special operations watercraft and eight RIB tenders, the later for the Cheng Kung-class frigates. Delivery is scheduled for June 2022. The contract covered only the watercraft themselves with their machine guns, infrared equipment, and boarding ladders sourced separately.[13]

In September 2018, Taiwan confirms contract for first amphibious assault ship built in Taiwan. It will be built by CSBC Corporation, a local shipyard. Four are planned with the first to be entering service around 2021. It is roughly similar to US Navy's San Antonio class, but with a slightly smaller displacement. Support features include a full hospital, well deck, full aviation facilities, storage for wheeled vehicles, and dedicated accommodations for a full battalion of Marines.[26] The vessel design will be armed with a 76 mm naval gun in the primary position, a close-in weapon system (CIWS) turret, two 12.7 mm machine gun positions in the forward section, and launchers that can deploy the Hsiung Feng II and III family of anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles.[27][28][29] The primary sensor is expected to be a naval version of the indigenous CS/MPQ-90 Bee Eye AESA radar.[30]

The ROC Navy currently lacks a modern fleet defense system. Its current destroyers currently use obsolete Mark 26 missile launchers designed from the 1970s and does not currently have a modern centralized air defense combat system like the Aegis.[31][32] Past US administrations rejected the sale of Aegis radar system and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, including George W. Bush in 2001. Under George W. Bush administration, the US instead sold Taiwan four Kidd-class destroyers, which did not carry the Aegis and were no longer in service in the US Navy at the time.[33][34][35] However, in January 2019, the US government delivered two sets of Mk 41 VLS to Taiwan. The ROC government plans to integrate the MK41 VLS and locally developed Tien-Kung III (Sky Bow III) with its indigenously developed Hsun Lien naval combat system, which is similar to Aegis, to upgrade its ship air defense capabilities.[36][37] Taiwan has acquired the license and technology to produce additional MK 41 VLS launchers. The ROC Navy currently as of 2019 possesses at least 14 warships compatible with the Mk41.[38] Additionally, the AN/SLQ-32 system on the Kee Lung class guided missile destroyers (formerly Kidd-Class Destroyers) will be upgraded and is expected to be completed by 2023.[39] In November 2019 it was reported that the decommissioned amphibious landing ship Kao Hsiung (LCC-1) was being used as a test ship for the Hsun Lien naval combat system project and had been fitted with a large phased array radar system and the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System.[40] In January 2020, it is reported the Tien-Kung III (Sky Bow III) is successfully fired from the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System.[41][42]

With its two effective submarines being of Dutch design manufactured in the late 1980s, Taiwan has been trying to acquire more modern submarines for over 20-years; but the US only makes large nuclear submarines, and other sellers of conventional submarines have been scarce. In 2003 the US Government brokered an offer and suggested buying four (even older and smaller) Nazario Sauro-class submarines from Italy (which the Italians would completely refurbish). Italy reportedly also agreed to sell them an additional four other later vintage Sauro-class submarines still on active duty with the Italian Navy, for a total of eight, following their eventual decommissioning by the Italian Navy. However, Taipei rejected this offer, saying it wanted new submarines. In subsequent years no other solution was found.

Whilst Taiwan was actively seeking to purchase diesel-electric submarines from other nations, it started considering the possibility of building the required eight submarines indigenously, after repeated failures to strike an overseas deal. A squadron of modern submarines would greatly improve the Navy's defensive capabilities. However building submarines is a very daunting technological project. On 15 April 2014, the Defence Minister Yen Ming announced that the United States agreed to help Taiwan to construct its own diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs).[43]

In April 2018, President of the United States Donald Trump approved the license necessary for American firms to sell Taiwan the technology needed to build its own submarines.[44] In July 2018, it was reported[45] that a company from India and a defense contractor from Japan had submitted design proposals for the Indigenous Defense Submarine program[46] alongside two companies from America and another two from Europe.[47][48]

In May 2019, Taiwan revealed a scale model of its chosen design for an indigenous built diesel-electric attack submarine. The external design appears to be similar to Japan's Soryu– and Oyashio-class SSKs and includes an X-form rudder similar to one found on Sōryū-class submarine.[49] The boats will be assembled using Japanese construction techniques in Taiwan. A Japanese team consisting of 'retired' engineers from Mitsubishi and Kawasaki Heavy Industries will provide technical support. Reportedly, a version of the AN/BYG-1 submarine combat management system, used in US Navy nuclear submarines, is being offered to Taiwan (as no other foreign manufacturer's systems are available).[50][51] The vessels are projected to be in the 2,500-ton class and 70m in length.[52]

In October 2019 it was reported that construction of the class would commence at the Heping Island yard in Keelung rather than in Kaohsiung.[53] Later in October 2019 it was reported that personnel working on the project were forbidden from traveling to or transiting through Macao or Hong Kong (their travel to Mainland China had already been restricted) due to security concerns.[52]

In May 2019, the Republic of China Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced it had begun construction of three Flight-II Tuo Chiang class corvettes (also known as Tuo Jiang class). The ships will be built by Lung Teh Shipbuilding. The Tuo Chiang-class corvette is a class of stealthy multi-mission catamarans based on the single Tuo Chiang class Flight I prototype launched in 2014. They have a length of 65 meters and a displacement of 680 tonnes versus 560 tons for the existing Flight I. Their top speed remains around 45 knots. It features improved upper structure design with fewer extrusions to reduce radar signature, pre-cooled engine exhaust to reduce infrared signature, and a reduced visual signature. It can be armed with up to twelve subsonic Hsiung Feng II or supersonic Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles of which can be mixed configuration, a Phalanx Close-In Weapons System which may be replaced by Sea Oryx in the future, and a 76-mm main gun. In air defense configuration, it will contain a four-cell vertical launch system array. Each cell is quad-packed with four Tien Chien IIN, or Sky Sword IIN, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, for a total of 16 missiles.[54][55][56]

Republic of China Marine Corps : small arms, vehicles, artillery, missiles, and helicopters

• 
  Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III launchers of ROCN PFG2-1110
• 
  Sea Oryx Missile Launcher Display at MND Hall
• 
  Covered ROCN Hsiung Feng II & Hsiung Feng III Anti-Ship Missile Launchers Truck Display at Zuoying Naval Base
• 
  ROCN Hughes 500 6910 Carried on Lan Yang (FFG-935) Helicopter Deck Rear Right View 20141123
• 
  ROCN S-70C(M) 2307 Flying over Zuoying Naval Base in Morning 20141123a
• 
  Mark 32 Torpedo Tubes Mounted on ROCN Tzu I (PFG-1107)
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  No.1 Wan Xiang CAPTOR Mine Display aboard ROCN Ho Zhong (LCU-484)
• 
  No.2 Wan Xiang Bottom Mine Display aboard ROCN Ho Zhong (LCU-484)
• 
  Sea Chaparral Launcher Mounted on ROCN Si Ning (PFG-1203)
• 
  T-75S 20mm Cannon Mounted on FACG-77
• 
  Phalanx CIWS and Bofors 40mm L70 Gun aboard on ROCN Di Hua (PFG-1206)
• 
  M96 Motorboat
• 
  The President of Taiwan aboard the Pan Shi
• 
  OTO Melara 76mm Gun aboard the Frigate ROCN Si Ning (PFG-1203)
• 
  ROCN Hsiung Feng II & Hsiung Feng III Anti-Ship Missile Launchers Truck
• 
  ROCN S-70C(M) 2312
• 
  Visitors in Front of ROCN Kao Hsiung (LCC-1)