Cheng Kung-class (PFG 2)

The Cheng Kung class numbers ten guided-missile frigates in Republic of China Navy service: eight built under licence at Kaohsiung and two ex-US Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class ships commissioned in 2018, which differ in fit by carrying Harpoon on the Mk 13 launcher in place of Hsiung Feng box launchers. Developed under the Kuang Hua I project during the 1990s, the class is based on the United States Oliver Hazard Perry-class design. These vessels were constructed under license by the China Shipbuilding Corporation in Kaohsiung. The program originated from joint defense initiatives between Taiwan and the United States, transitioning the navy’s focus from anti-submarine warfare to surface combat capabilities. Although originally planned to be built in two distinct batches, all units were ultimately completed to the standard design after the second batch was canceled in 1994.

The design utilizes the long-hulled variant of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, designated by the Republic of China Navy as patrol frigates (PFG). Propulsion is provided by gas turbines driving a single shaft with a controllable pitch propeller, supplemented by two auxiliary propulsion units. For stability and acoustic management, the ships employ fin stabilizers and the Prairie-Masker signature reduction system. Electronic systems include surface and air search radars, hull-mounted sonar, and the Chang Feng IV electronic countermeasures suite. The ships are also compatible with towed sonar arrays and use the SLQ-25 Nixie system for torpedo defense.

The armament configuration differs from the original U.S. design, featuring Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III surface-to-surface missiles. Primary air defense is provided by a Mark 13 launcher for Standard missiles, with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology later assuming support and upgrade responsibilities for these systems. Defensive systems include an OTO Melara dual-purpose naval gun, Bofors guns, Phalanx close-in weapon systems, and Mark 32 torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare. The main guns were later upgraded to improve their rate of fire. Aviation facilities comprise a hangar and aft deck equipped with a Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse (RAST) system, supporting S-70C Thunderhawk helicopters.

The Cheng Kung class entered commission in 1993 and functioned as the Republic of China Navy's primary area air defense platform until the introduction of Keelung-class destroyers in 2005. All eight original vessels remain in active service and are named after historical Chinese commanders. In 2018, the navy expanded the fleet by commissioning two additional former U.S. Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates. These vessels were acquired under the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2013 to replace aging Chiyang-class frigates.