The armed forces are to set up the Republic of China Navy Sea Control Missile Command in Yunlin County’s Huwei Township (虎尾) by the end of the year, a defense official said yesterday.

The command would be headed by a rear admiral instead of a captain, underscoring the expanding size and importance of the navy’s anti-ship missile forces, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The headquarters would be comprised of administrative buildings and barracks, but no missile depot, which would be built elsewhere, due to opposition from local residents who did not want the base to be a potential target for strikes should China attack, the official said.