Taiwanese Navy to receive six more Min Jiang-class fast minelayers to counter China's amphibious operations.

As reported by the Liberty Times on April 16, 2025, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense officially announced the award of a contract to Lungteh Shipbuilding for the construction of six additional Min Jiang-class fast minelayers under the Yung Chieh II program. The contract, valued at NT$1.548 billion (approximately US$48 million), is scheduled to begin on April 25, 2025, with all vessels to be completed by December 31, 2026, ahead of the originally planned timeline, which aimed for completion by the end of 2027. The addition of these six vessels will expand the Taiwanese Navy’s minelayer fleet to ten units, all based on the same design.
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The fast minelayers, referred to in media as the Min Jiang-class, are officially designated as Fast Mine Laying Boats (FMLB), with the first vessel labeled FMLB-1. (Picture source: Taiwanese Navy)

The fast minelayers, referred to in media as the Min Jiang-class, are officially designated as Fast Mine Laying Boats (FMLB), with the first vessel labeled FMLB-1. Lungteh Shipbuilding, the sole builder, had previously constructed the initial four vessels under the original “Yung Chieh” plan between 2019 and 2021. The first ship was laid down in May 2019, launched in August 2020, and delivered in December 2020. The second vessel followed in September 2021, while the third and fourth were delivered in December 2021. These vessels replaced converted amphibious landing craft that had previously served the minelaying role.

Procurement of the six follow-on vessels faced delays due to compliance issues with Taiwan’s Government Procurement Act, specifically Article 48. The first two tender attempts conducted on February 26 and March 19, 2025, were invalidated due to fewer than three compliant bidders, as only Lungteh Shipbuilding and Jong Shyn Shipbuilding submitted compliant bids. Consequently, in the third round, the Ministry removed the minimum bidder requirement and adopted a “most advantageous bid” approach, under which Lungteh secured the contract. The procurement was originally allocated NT$1.806 billion (approximately US$56 million) across the 2025–2027 period under the national defense budget.

The six new vessels will be constructed based on the same design as the first four fast minelayers, which were also built by Lungteh Shipbuilding between 2018 and 2021 under the initial Yung Chieh I plan. That initial project was awarded for NT$738.2 million (approximately US$22.9 million) in October 2018, following a competition between Lungteh and Koding Shipbuilding, and covered the construction of four vessels. The contract was announced on November 27, 2018, with deliveries completed by late 2021. These four vessels are now assigned to the ROC Navy’s 192nd Fleet at Zuoying Naval Base and operate under the fleet’s Mine Laying Unit.

Each Min Jiang-class fast minelayer measures 41 meters in length, has a beam of 8.8 meters, and a draft of 1.7 meters. The full-load displacement is officially listed as 347 tons, though alternate specifications reference a full-load displacement of 376 tons. The ships are powered by two 950kW diesel engines and two 100kW electric motors. Their maximum speed is 14 knots and they have an operational endurance exceeding 1,200 nautical miles. These specifications limit their effective operation to sea states no greater than Beaufort scale 3, making them suitable for coastal missions. The vessels were designed with reference to proven landing craft designs to simplify construction.

The vessels are armed with a single 20mm T-75S autocannon and two 7.62mm T-74 machine guns, primarily for self-defense against aerial threats or small surface targets. (Picture source: Taiwanese Navy)

The vessels are armed with a single 20mm T-75S autocannon and two 7.62mm T-74 machine guns, primarily for self-defense against aerial threats or small surface targets. The ships are equipped with FURUNO flat-array navigation radar systems and feature dedicated underwater survey equipment, including depth sounders and UHF/VHF communication systems. A dedicated hydrographic measurement capability is also integrated, allowing the vessels to support mine deployment planning in varied underwater environments.

A key feature of the design is an automated mine-laying system developed by Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST). Located on the aft deck, the system consists of four automated mine rails, each paired with a self-propelled trolley. These trolleys can be controlled via handheld remotes or bridge consoles and are capable of handling mines weighing up to 1,500 kilograms. The system records deployment coordinates during release. The mine deck also includes stern loading doors and cranes for rearming operations. The vessels are compatible with mines currently in Taiwan’s inventory and can load mines directly from amphibious transport docks such as the Yu Shan-class.

Each vessel can carry and deploy a range of mine types depending on mission requirements. Maximum capacity includes 64 Mk-6 mines, 64 Wanxiang Type 1 conical mines, 36 Wanxiang Type 1 cylindrical mines, 40 Wanxiang Type 2 moored mines, or 32 Wanxiang Type 2 bottom mines. The ships are intended to quickly deploy naval mines in coastal and port areas and are designed for rapid mine deployment rather than high-speed transit.

The Min Jiang-class currently serves under the 192nd Fleet stationed at Zuoying Naval Base. Units FMLB-1 and FMLB-2 were formally commissioned into service on January 14, 2022, and assigned to the first and second squadrons of the Navy’s Mine Laying Unit. These vessels have participated in multiple exercises, including the annual Han Kuang and spring patrol drills, and have conducted simulated minelaying operations at locations such as the Tamsui River estuary. The class has been employed in joint operations with other naval assets, including M109 fast assault boats, as part of emerging maritime security elements.

The Yung Chieh program forms part of the Navy’s broader force development roadmap. It was initiated in response to changing regional maritime threats and included in the Navy’s 15-Year Force Development Vision and the 2016 report on twelve shipbuilding initiatives. These initiatives encompass platforms such as mine countermeasure vessels, conventional submarines, amphibious transport docks, and rescue ships. The Yung Chieh fast minelayers were planned to establish a rapid-response capability for deploying naval mines near Taiwan’s coastline, contributing to broader strategies focused on impeding potential amphibious operations.

The six new vessels will be constructed based on the same design as the first four fast minelayers, which were also built by Lungteh Shipbuilding between 2018 and 2021. (Picture source: Taiwanese Navy)