Taiwan’s naval shipbuilder China Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) on 13 April launched the country’s first ever indigenous landing platform dock (LPD) to the Republic of China Navy (ROC or Taiwan Navy). Named Yu Shan (Pennant number 1401), the 153 m-long amphibious transport ship, construction of which began in May 2019. The landing platform dock entered the water on 13 April in a ceremony held at the company’s facilities in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung and presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen. The launch ceremony was also attended by Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, among other senior civilian and military officials.
The landing platform dock indicate that the ship displaces 10,600 tons when fully loaded and measures 152 meters, or about 500 feet, with a hull draught of 20 feet. Top speed of the LPD is said to be 21 knots with a range of 7,000 miles. The landing platform dock can carry troops and equipment to its offshore and South China Sea islands. The Yu Shan can accommodate up to 673 troops and its vehicle deck can carry AAV7 tracked amphibious vehicles. The ship also has a twin hangar sized for Sikorsky Seahawk and Black Hawk helicopters. A well dock is incorporated in the design to stow, launch and recover landing craft.
The Yu Shan can also conduct surface warfare missions with anti-ship missiles. The ship is equipped with a single 76mm multipurpose gun and a pair of Phalanx close-in weapon systems; the latter is for defense against missile threats. The LPD is fitted with a pair of missile launchers believed to be capable of holding eight indigenous Hsiung Feng II anti-ship or 16 Hai Chien naval surface-to-air missiles, giving the ship a combat capability. The landing platform dock will be fitted two TC-2N radar guided surface-to-air mid-range missiles.
