Republic of China Navy Forms New Coastal Combat Command Armed with U.S. Harpoon Missiles

The Republic of China Navy has officially formed the Coastal Combat Command, which currently controls the Haifeng Brigade equipped with both mobile and fixed-position anti-ship missile systems. The command was formed by integrating three squadrons: the Naval Vanguard Flotilla, the Maritime Surveillance Command, and the Kuang Hua 6 missile boat squadron from the 131st Naval Fleet. Unconfirmed reports indicate that it has also incorporated the Marine Corps' Air Defence Guard Battalion, which is responsible for the defence and security of mobile missile and mobile radar positions, and the Mine-laying Squadron from the 192nd Naval Fleet. 

The Republic of China Ministry of National Defence has ordered 100 land-based Harpoon Coastal Defence Systems and 400 associated missiles from the United States, which are expected to revolutionise coastal defence capabilities. Although it was confirmed in February that the Navy had begun to receive mobile Harpoon missile launch systems, with images confirming vehicles associated with the new system, including mobile missile launchers, radar vehicles, and command-and-control units, unclear progress in procurement efforts has led legislators in Taipei to propose freezing the budget for the Harpoon Missile Coastal Defence System. Deliveries are projected to be conducted in phases under a schedule agreed by Taipei and Washington, with 32 complete systems intended to be delivered by the end of 2026, followed by 68 more in 2027.

Harpoon missiles ordered for the Republic of China Armed Forces are of the RGM-84L-4 Block II (U) variant, which has an improved range and superior guidance and targeting capabilities to prior variants, but is still considered to be of limited value against well defended warships due to its slow speed, lack of radar evading capabilities, and limited range. A fleet of mobile launch vehicles and radar systems capable of supporting Harpoon missile launches nevertheless remains at the core of the Republic of China Navy’s asymmetric anti-access area-denial strategy against the Chinese mainland. The delivery of the Harpoon Coastal Defence System represents part of a much broader effort by the United States to rapidly strengthen the RoCAF’s strike capabilities, with ATACMS ballistic missile systems and HIMARS rocket artillery being delivered, while multiple single use unmanned attack aircraft are being developed jointly.

The Ministry of National Defence announced in June that the first commander of the Coastal Combat Command would be Vice Admiral Chien Shih-yuan, formerly the Chief of Staff of the Office of the Minister of National Defence. Officials clarified that the Coastal Operations Command is not yet "officially formed," only its organisational structure is operational, and currently only commands the Naval Vanguard Flotilla and the Maritime Surveillance Command. The progress of procuring coastal defence systems equipped with Harpoon missiles, which are to form the backbone of the new command’s arsenal, remains unclear. While unconfirmed reports from local media indicate that a small number of launch vehicles and radar vehicles have been delivered and are being installed, this has not been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence.