Taiwan Coast Guard Tests Missile Conversion of Patrol Vessels

In a recent exercise, the coast-guard patrol vessel Qijin launched a domestically-produced Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missile at the decommissioned navy frigate Lan Yang. The missile travelled roughly 50 nautical miles—more than half the width of the Taiwan Strait—before striking the target, after which the crew fired a subsonic HF-2 missile. The test was part of a three-day drill in Pingtung that also involved army, navy, air force and coast-guard units, with President Lai Ching-te observing the final morning of the exercise.

Taiwan Fires Hsiung Feng III Supersonic Missile To Sink Decommissioned Navy Frigate The Maritime Executive

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration operates as a civilian agency in peacetime, but the National Defence Act permits its incorporation into the military order of battle during war. A 2021 defence procurement law allocated funds for weapons and support systems to enable rapid conversion of coast-guard ships to combat roles. The United States previously equipped some Hamilton-class cutters with Harpoon missiles in the late Cold War, a capability later removed. By contrast, China’s Coast Guard was transferred to the People’s Armed Police in July 2018 and now conducts defence operations under orders from the Central Military Commission.

Taiwan Fires Hsiung Feng III Supersonic Missile To Sink Decommissioned Navy Frigate The Maritime Executive

The Anping-class high-speed catamaran fleet comprises 12 vessels (10 active). Each ship can be fitted with up to 16 box launchers for HF-2 or HF-3 missiles, providing a potential wartime addition of 12 hulls with missile capacity to Taiwan’s navy, which fields only “several dozen” missile-capable vessels. At least three of the Anping-class ships have already fired Hsiung Feng missiles in the recent drill.

The Maritime Executive

Integrating coast-guard assets into Taiwan’s anti-ship arsenal expands the island’s strike depth and complicates any adversary’s calculations, especially given China’s own large coast-guard fleet that can be mobilised for combat.

Taiwan Fires Hsiung Feng III Supersonic Missile To Sink Decommissioned Navy Frigate

John Bradford, executive director of the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies and former U.S. Navy officer, described the drill as evidence of enhanced coordination between Taiwan’s coast guard and navy. President Lai’s presence signalled high-level endorsement of the joint-service approach.

Taiwan Fires Hsiung Feng III Supersonic Missile To Sink Decommissioned Navy Frigate