Kee Lung-class (Kidd)

The Kee Lung class, originally constructed as the Kidd class, is a series of four guided-missile destroyers based on the Spruance-class design. These vessels were initially ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy in the early 1970s for air defense roles. Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the United States Navy acquired the ships and commissioned them into its fleet between 1981 and 1982.

The design modified the anti-submarine platform of the Spruance class into a multipurpose vessel with enhanced anti-aircraft capabilities. To facilitate operations in high-temperature environments, the ships were equipped with additional air conditioning plants, increased water distillation capacity, and dust separators on the gas turbine air intakes. The vessels feature an enclosed hangar and flight deck capable of supporting medium-lift helicopters. From 1988 to 1990, the class underwent the New Threat Upgrade, enabling cooperative engagement with Ticonderoga-class cruisers. This system allowed the cruisers to control the destroyers' surface-to-air missiles while the destroyers remained electronically silent.

In United States service, the ships were frequently deployed to the Persian Gulf. They were decommissioned between 1998 and 1999 as Arleigh Burke-class destroyers entered service. After purchase offers were declined by Australia and Greece, the vessels were sold to Taiwan in 2001 under the Kuang Hua VII program. Following reactivation and hardware overhauls in South Carolina, the first two ships, Kee Lung and Su Ao, were commissioned into the Republic of China Navy in 2005. The final two, Tso Ying and Ma Kong, entered service in 2006.

In Taiwanese service, the class has undergone armament modifications, including the integration of HF-3 anti-ship missiles in place of Harpoon missiles on some vessels. Reports in 2025 indicated further plans to integrate HF-2E missiles into the class. The four ships remain in active service.