Taiwan’s Navy Retires Aging Knox-Class Frigate After Nearly Three Decades of Service
After close to three decades of service, the Taiwanese navy is set to retire one of its Knox-class frigates. The Lan Yang (FFG-935), named after its service in the U.S. Navy as the USS Joseph Hewes (FF-1078) until 1994, was subsequently transferred to Taiwan along with other ships of its class.
Beginning its service in the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) in August 1995, the Lan Yang was one of eight frigates transferred from the U.S. to Taiwan in the 1990s, later reclassified as the Chi Yang-class. These ships primarily served to monitor military vessels from China near Taiwan. However, as time passed, their equipment became outdated, making maintenance increasingly difficult and costly.
The Lan Yang’s retirement comes after two other Chi Yang-class frigates, Chi Yang (FFG-932) and Hai Yang (FFG-936), were previously decommissioned in 2015. Following their withdrawal, they were repurposed as target ships and scuttled during training exercises. It remains uncertain what the future holds for the remaining five frigates still in service.
Sources indicate that the Lan Yang’s decommissioning ceremony will take place mid-January at Kaohsiung‘s Xinbin pier. Afterwards, it will be towed to Cijin and repurposed as a target ship. Its weapons, radar, and other components will be removed and stored by a logistic unit for future use.
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