Cheng Kung class frigate

The Cheng Kung class frigates are based upon the U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry class and are currently serving in the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy (ROCN). The frigates were produced under license by China Shipbuilding Corporation in Kaohsiung, Taiwan throughout the 1990s as part of the "Kuang Hua 1" Patrol Frigate, Guided project and served as the mainstay of the ROCN's theater air defense prior to the ROCN's acquisition of Keelung (Kidd) class destroyers in 2005.

In order to control new weapon systems on the frigate, which Mk 92 can't integrate at the time, a second CDS, H930 MCS was installed in order to control the 8 HF-2 (or four HF-2 and four HF-3 on certain ships) and the two Bofors 40mm/L70 guns. But Mk 92's Harpoon mode was deleted due to US government refused to sell Harpoon to Taiwan at the time. Also deleted were some of Mk 92's ASW modes, plus refusing to sell SQR-19 Towed Array sonar system.

Originally only two lead ships were going to be built to this standard, the rest of the six ships in the class were going to be built under ACS (Advance Combat System) project with a lighter AEGIS (that later became SPY-1F), 48-64 cell Mk 41 VLS and other systems, and a 15-meter plug-in section. Delay in design and budget changed the project to four ships in PFG-1101 configuration and last 4 ships in ACS configuration, then more delays changed to 6+2, then 7+1. By mid 1990s, ROCN decided ACS project was way to risky, too long and way over budget, and finally canceled it after 7th ship of PFG-1101 standard was built. But enough of the long lead items were already purchased that in the late 2000 ROCN decided to go ahead with the 8th ship's construction with PFG-1101 configuration—minus the two Bofors 40mm/L70 guns, after getting necessary funding.

Upgrades

The Cheng Kung class was initially fitted with 8 x Hsiung Feng II ship-to-ship missiles, instead of the Harpoon missiles that the Oliver Hazard Perry class use. In 2001, ROCS Cheng Kung (成功, PFG-1101) was refitted with four Hsiung Feng III missiles, replacing four of the Hsiung Feng II missiles. In 2009 ROCS Chi Kuang (繼光, PFG-1105) was seen with same configuration. All the other ships in the class will received the new missile upon their major overhaul. Originally, all HF-2 missiles were to be removed, while 4-8 Harpoon to be carried in Mk 13 launcher's magazine (with necessary upgrade to the ship's Mk 92 CDS which had Harpoon control mode and functionality deleted when ship was built), and 8 HF-3 supersonic AShM to put in place of 8 HF-2 AShM, giving these ships total of 12-16 anti-ship missiles. But the Legislative Yuan stopped the ROCN from buying Harpoon missiles from US for this upgrade, and ROCN had to settle for just 4 HF-2 and 4 HF-3 configuration. Also all ships being installed with Link 16 datalink.

Ships

External links

• Globalsecurity.org Article