Taiwan-made Yushan landing platform dock (LDP) is scheduled to be delivered to the nation’s Navy as early as September if its soon-to-be-launched sea trial proves to be a success, a military source told CNA on Monday.

The 10,600-ton amphibious multi-mission vessel is currently docked at a military port undergoing required tests to make sure all the newly-installed systems work smoothly, the source said, without naming the port in question.

After completing the ongoing static tests, the vessel will then be conducting a sea trial to make sure the domestically built LDP can operate safely, the source added.

If the sea trial is successful, the vessel will be delivered to the Navy in September at the earliest, according to the source.

The source confirmed Taiwan’s Liberty Times report on Monday which gave an update on the latest status of the domestic LDP.

Christened and launched in April 2021, the Yushan is the first of four indigenous LDPs being built by local shipbuilder CSBC Corp., Taiwan for the Navy, but has yet to be handed over to the military as testing continues.

Once in service, the Yushan, named after Taiwan’s highest peak, will replace the existing Hsu Hai dock landing ship, which first entered into service with the U.S. Navy as the USS Pensacola in 1971, before being transferred to Taiwan in 1999.

The ship, with a length of 153 meters and a beam of 23 meters, can be sailed at a maximum speed of 21 knots and a range of 7,000 miles. It is able to carry several AAV7 amphibious armed personnel carriers and 673 troops.

It can also be fitted with an MK-75 76mm gun, two MK-15 Phalanx close-in weapons systems, and two TC-2N missile systems.

The ship has two hangars able to accommodate military helicopters, according to Taiwan’s military.

The Yushan LPD will be responsible for transporting supplies and personnel to the country’s offshore islands and can handle humanitarian assistance missions in case of emergency, according to the military.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel