Taiwanese yard lays keel of new anti-air warfare frigate

Taiwanese shipbuilder Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Company has laid the keel of a new anti-air warfare (AAW) frigate ordered by the Republic of China Navy (RoCN).

The vessel belongs to a class of 12 new light frigates being built to replace the RoCN's ageing Chi Yang-class ships, which were originally delivered as Knox-class frigates to the US Navy during the 1970s.

The 12 future light frigates will include both AAW and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) variants. Construction of the lead frigate, an AAW variant, began in January of this year.

Upon completion, the AAW frigate will have a length of 101 metres, a beam of 12 metres, a draught of 3.9 metres, and a displacement of 2,500 tonnes. The armament will include a 76mm naval gun with programmable ammunition, a close-in weapon system, surface-to-air missiles housed in 32 vertical launch cells, and anti-ship cruise missiles.

The electronics suite will meanwhile include a BAE Systems 3D phased array radar and a Lockheed Martin Canada combat management system.