Taiwan plans anti-ship missile maintenance center

台灣規劃設立反艦飛彈修護中心

Navy seeks to bolster coastal defense with new facility


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Navy has shared plans to build a new anti-ship missile maintenance center to maintain the combat effectiveness of over a thousand domestically made Hsiung Feng and U.S.-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

The center will also provide logistical support for the Navy's new coastal operations command and reorganize missile units into four strike groups in northern, southern, central, and eastern Taiwan, Liberty Times reported.

Military officials said the Navy’s existing combat system facility is a specialized unit responsible for the maintenance of various combat weapon systems, weapon precision, ship docking, weapon systems enhancement, and domestic shipbuilding projects. The facility handles missiles, torpedoes, artillery, electro-optical, reconnaissance and surveillance equipment, and sonar systems, they said.

The mass production of Hsiung Feng missiles and the arrival of more Harpoon missiles, as well as the immense workload, prompted the Navy to set up the new missile facility to take on all maintenance tasks.

In April 2023, Taiwan purchased 400 additional Harpoon missile systems to shore up its coastal defense capabilities. It also plans to build three bases for land-based anti-ship missiles in south Taiwan by the end of 2027.