The Tuo Chiang-class corvette was officially delivered to the Navy by Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co. in late July, after several months of testing and sea trials.
The stealth vessel features high maneuverability and rapid strike capabilities and is equipped with modern weaponry such as the Sea Sword II air-defense missile, which was developed by Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), the Navy Command said.
The Sea Sword II, a ship-launched version of the NCSIST's Tien Chien II air-to-air missile, is an active radar-guided mid-range air defense missile that can engage anti-ship missiles and threats from aircraft simultaneously, according to the institute's website.
Lieutenant Commander Liu Hsueh-chien , who captains the Ta Chiang, said its arsenal also includes the Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship missiles, as well as a 76 mm cannon.
The Ta Chiang has a maximum speed of 40 knots and a displacement of 685 tonnes.
At Thursday's ceremony, Liu encouraged all the men and women in uniform and onboard the Ta Chiang to uphold their duty of combat readiness and to work together to protect Taiwan's maritime waters.
Also at the ceremony, the Navy took delivery of its second rapid mine-laying vessel, which features an automatic mine-laying system developed entirely by the NCSIST.
