Arguing that various delays have been encountered in the supplier chain, especially related to the manufacture of the engines, the Taiwanese Navy announced that it would receive its first two light frigates in 2027 rather than in 2026 as originally planned. According to local reports, those propulsion systems must be installed before work can proceed on the remaining sections of the ships, so any delay in their delivery represents a major obstacle to moving the project forward.
Looking more closely at the details, it is worth noting that construction of these first two light frigates is being carried out by a local shipyard, which not only reflects the intention to strengthen the country’s naval capabilities, but also highlights plans to expand the island’s domestic industrial capacities. Beyond the engines, which depend on outside suppliers, the local shipyard reports that work on its end has been progressing as planned, including with other components that are also sourced from abroad.
In particular, according to the project submitted to Taiwan’s legislature by the Ministry of Defense, construction of the frigates in question involved agreements for as many as seven components brought in from overseas. Among other things, these include the combat management system and the three-dimensional phased-array radar, both of which are still under development in line with the proposed schedules. It was also reported that progress has been made in testing the 76 mm gun that will form part of the frigates’ armament.
It is worth recalling at this point that construction of the two light frigates that will equip the Taiwanese Navy will require an investment of around 24.549 billion New Taiwan dollars (close to USD 249 million), which forms part of the so-called Zhenhai Project launched in 2019. At this stage of the project, the intention is to field at least one frigate configured specifically for air defense tasks and another equipped for an anti-submarine role, both based on the same platform of 115 meters in length, 15 meters in beam, and a displacement of 3,500 tons at full load.
In both cases, the ships are intended to serve as prototypes for the formation of a frigate class meant to equip the Taiwanese Navy with ten new warships, a design that is already being modified based on the data obtained during construction. As an example of this, currently available reports indicate that the air defense variant would see its length reduced to about 96 meters instead of the previously mentioned 115, while its beam would be expanded to around 21 meters in order to meet the service’s specific requirements.
Finally, if this important project is completed, the Taiwanese Navy could at last move forward with replacing the Chi Yang-class frigates, formerly known as the U.S. Knox class, which have been in service for decades and currently number six units. In addition to these vessels, the service operates four Kee Lung-class destroyers, ten Cheng Kung-class frigates, and six Kang Ding-class frigates.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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