Taiwan has launched the Dong Gang, the 12th and final Anping-class patrol vessel built for the coast guard. The 600-ton ship can be used for law enforcement missions during peacetime, including tackling illegal fishing and smuggling, but can also be equipped with missiles and machine guns during wartime. Officials say the vessel will help Taiwan respond to growing gray-zone pressure from China, including maritime incursions and damage to undersea cables linking Taiwan and its outlying islands. The Dong Gang has a range of more than 2,000 nautical miles and a top speed of over 40 knots.
