Republic of China Navy Fleet Inventory 🇹🇼

The Republic of China Navy (ROCN), commonly referred to as the Taiwanese Navy, is the maritime branch of Taiwan's Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to defend Taiwan's territorial waters, safeguard its maritime interests, and contribute to the overall national defense strategy aimed at deterring aggression, particularly from the People’s Republic of China. The navy also plays a vital role in anti-piracy efforts, humanitarian missions, and disaster relief.

Taiwan’s naval assets are diverse, incorporating a mix of domestic designs and foreign acquisitions. The fleet comprises destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines, patrol boats, and auxiliary ships. Notable among these are the Kee Lung-class destroyers, which were formerly American Kidd-class vessels, and the Cheng Kung-class frigates, which are based on the U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry-class design. The navy also operates a modest fleet of submarines, which currently consists of two Dutch-built Hai Lung-class submarines and two older Hai Shih-class submarines.

The Taiwanese Navy possesses capabilities across a range of naval warfare areas, including anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare. This is facilitated by a variety of weapon systems, such as the Hsiung Feng and Tien Kung missile families, which equip many of its surface vessels. While historically the ROCN's focus has been more on surface warfare, there is a concerted effort to improve its undersea and anti-submarine capabilities, given the evolving threat perceptions.

In terms of operational structure, the navy is organized into various fleets and flotillas. Key naval bases include Tsoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung, which is the primary base for the ROCN, and Suao Naval Base, among others. These bases support a variety of operational and logistical needs, including training, maintenance, and rapid deployment.

However, the navy faces several challenges, primarily arising from the ongoing military modernization of the People’s Republic of China and its increasing maritime assertiveness. The quantitative and qualitative gap between the two navies is widening, and Taiwan's navy faces an uphill battle to deter a well-funded and increasingly sophisticated opponent. The technological obsolescence of certain platforms, like the older submarines, also remains a concern.

Key facts

Number of active ships by category