TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Navy signed a maintenance contract with DCI-DESCO, a subsidiary of French defense consultancy company DCI, earlier this week to help upgrade its Kang Ding-class frigates.
The contract runs through March 2031 and is valued at NT$1.97 billion (US$61.93 million), Liberty Times reported. This follows a prior agreement with DCI-DESCO, signed in late March, for technical support services totaling NT$1.81 billion.
Upgrades include the installation of the Hua Yang vertical launch system, built by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. It is capable of firing the Sea Sword II surface-to-air missiles.
The ships will be outfitted with the BAE Systems Artisan radar and the French PASEO NS electro-optical fire control system, which significantly improves their ability to detect stealth targets.
The first upgraded frigate, the Cheng De, completed all modification tests in early February and quietly held its commissioning ceremony in Kaohsiung. The second upgraded frigate arrived in Kaohsiung in January.
The Navy plans to use the Cheng De as the benchmark and complete upgrades for all six frigates in phases by 2031, fully addressing gaps in the Navy’s medium-range air defense capabilities.
Taiwan is also building 12 light frigates. The two prototypes include an air defense variant and an anti-submarine warfare variant.
The air defense variant will use a vertical launch system carrying 32 Sea Sword II surface-to-air missiles. The anti-submarine variant will use inclined launchers for 16 Sea Sword II missiles, supplemented by anti-submarine torpedoes and a towed sonar system. Delivery is expected in 2027.
