The information was first reported by Taiwan’ state own news agency CNA.
A ceremony was held at the Kaohsiung shipyard of the Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Company (中信造船， JSSC). Taiwan Navy Commander Admiral Tang Hua (唐華) hosted the ceremony, JSSC CEO Pi-Hsiang Han (韓碧祥) and several other navy officials attended the ceremony.
As previously reported, the ROC Navy’s project to build a new-generation 4,500-ton class frigate has stalled for various reasons, such as budget problems, wrong decisions by the Navy, and NCSIST’s inability to develop an AESA radar suitable for the 4500-ton hull.
The ROC Navy changed the purpose of the frigate project from developing a 4,500-ton frigate to building two frigates of about 2,500 tons because of the urgent need to track Chinese naval vessels and replace the aging Knox-class frigates earlier. Construction of the first ship, the anti air warfare (AAW) variant, began in November 2023.
After the delivery of the first two prototype ships in 2026, the Taiwanese navy plans to build 10 follow-on ships and will decommission one Knox-class when all light frigates in both configuration (AAW and ASW) have been delivered.
About Taiwan’s new generation light frigate
According to the ROC Navy’s report to the Taiwanese parliament, there will be two variants of the new generation light frigate, one focusing on air defense and the other on anti-submarine warfare.
The light frigates will be 115 meters long and have a displacement of 2,500-3,000 tons. They are classified as Tier 2 (or second class) combat ships and are set to become the workhorse of the Taiwanese Navy. They will be used to respond to situations in the “gray zone”, patrol the Taiwan Strait, conduct reconnaissance and surveillance missions, escort transport ships and supplies to remote islands, secure sea lines of communication, and support military exercises and training.
Both variants of the ship were designed by Gibbs & Cox. A variation of the parent design is being proposed to Australia as reported recently by Naval News. Another variation was showcased at SNA 2024 (image above).
The ROC Navy’s light frigates will be equipped with CMS-330 Combat Management System, BAE ARTISAN radar, 76mm cannon, TC-2N SAMs, HF-3 ASMs, Phalanx Close-In Weapon System and S-70C ASW helicopters. There have been some rumors that the light frigates could be equipped with the Sea Oryx CIWS, but so far there is no information to suggest that the frigates will be equipped with Sea Oryx.
The AAW variant of the light frigate can shoot SAMs with VLS, while the ASW variant is not equipped with VLS but shoots SAMs with fixed-angle launchers. It will also be equipped with light torpedoes launchers as well as air-launched torpedoes.
ROC Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Chiang Cheng-kuo (蔣正國) also told MPs that the light frigates will be equipped with towed sonar, which is among the most advanced active and passive sonar in the world, but he could not say which country the system originated from.
