TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Navy's 131st fleet on Monday (Feb. 1) held a decommissioning ceremony for the Ching Chiang, a Ching Chiang-class patrol ship, in the southern city of Kaohsiung.
The Navy Command held the ceremony at Hsin Pin naval base. WIth Fleet Commander Tseng An-kuo (曾安國) officially announcing the decommissioning order and accepting the ship’s flags, seals, and ship nameplates. He also expressed gratitude to all who have served on the warship, Military News Agency reported.
Tseng pointed out that the vessel had entered service in 1983 and served on various combat, training, and disaster relief missions. He added the Ching Chiang’s crews have never let their guard down and have remained devoted to maintaining combat readiness.
The Ching Chiang-class ships, which now number 11, will eventually be replaced one at a time by 12 Tuo Chiang-class corvettes. These will take over patrol and combat duties.
The Ching Chiang-class vessel originated from the Navy’s “Kuang Hua III" shipbuilding project in the early 1990s. The ship was designed by the Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center and built by United Shipyard (the predecessor of Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Group).
The prototype was launched in June 1994 and handed over to the Navy in December of that year. Mass production began after about two years of trials.
