xhw1986
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The ROC (Taiwan) Navy held an anti-submarine drill in waters off southern Taiwan on Tuesday to highlight its combat readiness ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday that starts later this month.
The drill, which was open to the media, simulated an emergency in which the Navy dispatched frigates from Tsoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung to counter a potential submarine attack by enemy forces.
Two retrofitted US-made coastal minehunters were deployed to keep the sea free of mines, and two Chengkung-class frigates, one of them with a S-70C anti-submarine helicopter aboard, were also deployed to participate in the drill.
The high point of the drill came when the helicopter on the frigate and another S-70C at the naval base were dispatched to locate the "enemy" submarine, followed by a Chingchiang-class patrol vessel's simulated deployment of a depth charge to push the submarine to the surface.
That concluded the exercise, which was conducted in waters about 10 nautical miles from the Tsoying base, the Navy said.
The drill was designed to test the Navy's ability to fend off a possible submarine attack by enemy forces through the use of depth charges and other tactics, officials said.
The Navy had planned to use a real depth charge, but the plan was canceled due to bad weather conditions. Naval officials said the drill was held to highlight the military's efforts to stay alert and strengthen combat readiness ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year break that starts on Jan. 30.
Reporters followed the exercise aboard the Dyihuah frigate — one of six Lafayette-class ships Taiwan purchased from France in the 1990s.
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