Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense is actively pursuing a contractor to construct six additional Min Jiang-class mine-laying vessels, with the intent to finalize the contract within this year and complete the build-out by 2027. This initiative comes after previous bidding attempts on December 18, 2024, and February 5, 2025, failed to yield the required minimum of three bids, as mandated by Article 48 of Taiwan’s Government Procurement Act. The ministry has initiated a new bidding process and aims to secure a successful contract before April.
A budget of 1.8 billion New Taiwan dollars, approximately $54.8 million, has been allocated for this contract, underscoring Taiwan’s commitment to enhancing its armed forces’ asymmetric warfare capabilities in anticipation of a potential conflict with China. The current fleet includes four domestically built Min Jiang-class minelayers, which were modified from landing craft by Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co. to improve the island’s maritime defense capabilities.
The existing vessels are part of the operations of the 192nd Fleet’s mine operations squadron, with the first two having been commissioned and delivered from Zuoying naval base in 2022. Each minelayer has a displacement of 376 tons, is armed with a T-75 20-millimeter cannon, and features two T-74 7.62-millimeter machine guns. Measuring around 40 meters (131 feet) in length, they are capable of carrying up to 64 Wan Hsiang naval mines, which can be deployed either manually or remotely.
The strategic purpose of these minelayers is to counter threats posed by amphibious assaults, particularly those aimed at landing on Taiwanese territory. A Taiwanese defense official highlighted this objective during the keel-laying ceremony for the first vessel, emphasizing the importance of the ships in national defense.
Experts in defense strategy have underscored the necessity for Taiwan to enhance its asymmetric warfare capabilities, given its geographical size and the significant distance from military support allies like the United States. Eric Gomez, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, has urged U.S. policymakers to encourage Taipei to shift its defense strategy towards one that effectively counters China’s military advantages. He expressed concern that if Taiwan fails to adapt strategically, even U.S. intervention may fall short in a crisis.
Scott Savitz, a senior engineer and researcher at RAND, also emphasized the significance of naval mines and sea-denial capabilities as essential components for Taiwan’s defense against potential aggressors. He articulated that one effective way to hinder a Chinese invasion would be to create physical obstacles that not only delay enemy forces but also expose them to other forms of attack. This highlights the critical role that the new minelayers will play in Taiwan’s broader defensive strategy.
