But any PLA invasion flotilla would have to cross the Taiwan Strait, the relatively narrow body of water separating Taiwan from the mainland. And that's where the analysts say Taiwan's planned submarines -- which would replace its fleet of four subs that date back as far as World War II -- could make a big difference. Stealth weapons platformSubmarines remain among the world's leading stealth weapons platforms, and can exert a heavy toll on any potential enemy fleet. In essence, submarines give Taiwan's forces one more vector of attack against China's still limited force of amphibious vessels," Kaushal said. International credibilityBut numbers don't take into account politics and personalities, and both come into play regarding the new submarines, analysts said.

Source: CNN December 20, 2020 00:17 UTC