Taiwan commissions first homemade LPD
Taiwan's new LPD, the ROCS Yushan. (Photo: Taiwan MND)
Taiwan’s new LPD will enhance the island’s amphibious abilities and offer multirole capabilities to support mine countermeasures and logistics missions.
The Republic of China Navy (ROCN), on 30 September, commissioned its first indigenous landing platform dock (LPD).
Named Yushan, the new LPD will replace missions performed by Second World War-vintage tank landing ships and two ex-USN Newport-class LSTs that were transferred in 1995 and entered ROCN service in 1997.
These vessels in the Amphibious 151st Fleet are used to supply outlying bases such as Taiping (in the Spratly Islands) or Kinmen Island.
Although the 151st Fleet practises amphibious warfare annually, there is no sign of the ROCN conducting offensive actions of this kind in the near future.
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