Taiwan to build new stealth corvette

29.04.2011 Being concerned over China's plans to acquire aircraft-carrying fleet, Taiwan plans to begin construction of new stealth corvette armed with guided missiles, reported Taiwan's top-ranking official.

Lead corvette with displacement of 500 tons will be laid down in 2012 and launched in 2014, specified Taiwanese deputy defense minister Lin Yu-pao.

The twin-hull corvette will be armed with 8 Hsiung Feng II antiship missiles, and 8 more powerful supersonic missiles Hsiung Feng III.

This information was promulgated right after Beijing's report about termination of recovery works over aircraft-carrying cruiser Varyag purchased from Ukraine in 1988. The carrier will be used as training facility for Chinese deck-based aviation and as a prototype for further Chinese aircraft carriers. According to some sources, soon China will start construction of other two carriers of this type at Shanghai shipyard.

According to the head of Taiwanese intelligence office, Varyag can be put into service even in the current year. This information made Taiwanese military concern about creation of effective countermeasures which is to be future guided missile corvette.

Reportedly, the corvette would join Taiwanese Navy right after commission of the China's first carrier strike group.