TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Navy will retire two more Ching Chiang-class patrol ships to modernize its fleet.
The Kao Chiang and the Po Chiang will be decommissioned on April 1 in a joint ceremony at Kaohsiung’s Xinbin Wharf, Liberty Times reported.
Military and government officials said on Saturday that the Navy has accelerated the retirement of older vessels, mainly because more Tuo Chiang-class corvettes are entering service. The Navy plans to staff these new ships and streamline the fleet by phasing out older vessels with high maintenance costs. Personnel will be reassigned to operate the new vessels, while some, after completing specialty certification, will be transferred to anti-ship missile units.
According to reports, three Ching Chiang-class vessels are still currently in service. They are equipped with 76mm guns and Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missile systems.
The Navy has received six Tuo Chiang corvettes so far and expects to have 12 by the end of 2026. The ships are armed with Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship missiles, Sea Sword II air defense missiles, a 76 mm gun, and a Phalanx Close-in Weapon System. They are also designed to be stealthy.
