TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan military took delivery of the first domestically-built Yushan landing platform dock (LDP) on Friday (Sept. 30) in the presence of President Tsai Ing-wen. Speaking at the ceremony in Kaohsiung, President Tsai stressed the importance of strengthening Taiwan's self-defense capabilities amid soaring cross-strait tensions.
"Under China's military threats, only by strengthening our self-defense capabilities can there be real peace," she said. The Yushan landing platform dock is a 10,600-ton amphibious multi-mission vessel that can carry up to 673 military personnel and travel at a maximum speed of 21 knots.
According to the president, the vessel is suitable for combat missions, rescue operations and humanitarian assistance.
The newly-delivered LDP also boasts MK-75 76mm guns and MK-15 Phalanx close-in weapons systems. The ship also features four TC-2N air defense missile launching systems and 32x TC-2N medium-range air defense missiles, the ministry of defense said.
