On July 28, 2025, Taiwan’s first upgraded La Fayette-class frigate was spotted departing Kaohsiung port for sea trials.
Local ship spotters in Kaohsiung posted photos of Chen De (承德, PFG-1208) leaving port with the assistance of a service vessel. The departure was also captured by the live webcam of Hongmaogang Cultural Park (紅毛港文化園區) at around 10:00 a.m.
Footage revealed a BAE Type 997 ARTISAN radar mounted on the aft mast of Chen De, actively rotating. The RIM-72C Sea Chaparral SAM system in the “B” turret position had been removed.
As part of the upgrade, the Triton-G radar has been replaced with BAE Type 997 ARTISAN radar. This radar is already in service aboard upgraded Royal Navy Type 23 frigates and will also be fitted on future Type 26 frigates. In addition, the Hua Yang vertical launch system (華陽垂直發射系統), developed by Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), will be installed in the “B” turret position, replacing the RIM-72C Sea Chaparral. The Hua Yang VLS is reportedly capable of launching up to 32 TC-2N surface-to-air missiles with a range of 30 km.
The ROC Navy has allocated NT$43.16 billion for the upgrade of its six Kang Ding-class frigates between FY 2021 and 2029. The modernization program focuses on improving radar and SAM systems to enhance anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and sea control capabilities. For FY 2025, NT$7.28 billion was requested for the upgrades.
According to Taiwan’s state-owned CNA news agency, citing an anonymous navy official, Chen De will rejoin active service by the end of 2025. The remaining five ships will undergo refits at a rate of one per year from 2026 to 2030. However, following the failed July 26 vote to recall pro-China annexation opposition lawmakers, it is expected that the ROC Navy may face greater difficulty in securing the necessary budget in the coming years.
About the Kang Ding-Class Frigates
In the 1990s, Taiwan procured six frigates based on France’s La Fayette design. However, Chinese pressure prevented Taiwan from acquiring French-made weapon systems for the ships. Instead, the ROC Navy integrated U.S.-made and indigenous systems, including the RIM-72C Sea Chaparral SAM, which has long been criticized as inadequate against modern anti-ship missiles and aircraft.
The Kang Ding-class primarily conducts anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), escort missions, anti-blockade operations, and joint surface interception tasks. All ships are named after provincial capitals of pre-1949 China: Kang Ding (康定, PFG-1202), Xi Ning (西寧, PFG-1203), Kun Ming (昆明, PFG-1205), Di Hua (迪化, PFG-1206), Wu Chang (武昌, PFG-1207), and Chen De (承德, PFG-1208).
