Taipei Times
Date: Apr 21, 2018 
By: Lo Tien-pin and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Ministry of National Defense on Monday awarded the bid for a government program to build amphibious warships, codenamed the Hung Yun Project (鴻運計畫), to CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台船) who is to produce two vessels for NT$4.6 billion (US$156 million).

According to the ministry’s timetable, the new ships are to officially enter service in 2021.

It would be the first project under the President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) administration’s indigenous shipbuilding program, ministry officials said.

The ship is expected to have great mobility and move at up to 21 knots (39kph) with a cruising range of 7,000 nautical miles (12,964km). It is to carry amphibious landing craft, model 7A1 assault amphibious vehicles, heavy trucks, Humvees and helicopters, the official said.    [FULL  STORY]