Kidd-class destroyer

The Kidd-class destroyers were a series of four guided missile destroyers (DDGs) based on the Spruance class. The Kidds were designed as more advanced multipurpose ships, in contrast to their predecessor's focus on anti-submarine warfare, adding considerably enhanced anti-aircraft capabilities.[1] Originally ordered for the former Imperial Iranian Navy, the contracts were canceled when the 1979 Iranian Revolution began, and the ships were completed for the United States Navy. Because they were equipped with heavy-duty air conditioning and other features that made them suitable in hot climates, they tended to be used in the Middle East, specifically the Persian Gulf itself.[2] During their service with the U.S. Navy from the 1980s to the late 1990s, the ships were popularly known as the "Ayatollah" class.[3] They were decommissioned and sold to the Republic of China Navy as the Kee Lung class.

History

These ships were originally ordered by the last Shah (king) of Iran for service in the Persian Gulf, in an air defence role. The Shah was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution, prior to Iran accepting delivery of the ships, causing the United States Navy to integrate the vessels into its own fleet.

Each ship in the class was named after a U.S. Navy Admiral who had died in combat in the Pacific in World War II:

In 1988–90, the Kidds received the "New Threat Upgrade", which allowed cooperative engagement with Aegis Ticonderoga-class cruisers, enabling the cruisers to control the Kidds' surface-to-air missiles in flight while the destroyers remained electronically silent. However, the arrival of the Aegis-equipped Arleigh Burke-class destroyers led to the accelerated retirement of the Kidd class.[2][4]

All four ships were decommissioned from the U.S. Navy in the late 1990s, and were initially offered for sale to Australia in 1997 for A$30 million each.[5] In 1999, the offer was rejected, based on extensive problems the Royal Australian Navy had encountered during the acquisition of two surplus Newport-class tank landing ships from the U.S. Navy in 1994.[5] After the Australian refusal, the four ships were offered to Greece, which also refused.[5]

Sale and reactivation

In 2001, the U.S. authorized the reactivation and sale of all four ships to the Republic of China. All four have been transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy under the Kuang Hua VII program. They were sold for a total price of US$732 million with upgraded hardware, overhaul, activation, and training, included a reduced missile loadout of 148 SM-2 Block IIIA and 32 RGM-84L Block II Harpoon anti-ship missiles.[6] The reactivation was done in Charleston, South Carolina, by VSE/BAV.[7]

Kee Lung-class destroyers

The first two ships, ex-Scott and ex-Callaghan, arrived at Su-ao, a military port in eastern Taiwan, in December 2005, and were named Kee Lung and Su Ao in a commissioning ceremony on 17 December 2005. Following the tradition of ship class naming, ROCN has referred these vessels as Kee Lung-class destroyers. The remaining two units, ex-Kidd and ex-Chandler, were delivered in 2006, and named Tso Ying and Ma Kong, respectively.

The opposition-led Legislature Yuan originally allocated only enough money to purchase half of the SM-2 missiles that the destroyers can carry; a further purchase of 100 supplemental SM-2MRs was included in the 2007 annual budget to ensure all four ships had a full load of SM-2.

By end of 2008, Su Ao was spotted to have eight HF-3 AShMs installed in place of eight Harpoon AShMs.[8] It has been speculated from 2014 on that a navalized Sky Bow missile system, currently planned for an upcoming shipbuilding programme that involves the procurement of up to 15 general purpose frigates and three or four air defense destroyers[9][10], will also be replacing the Standard Missile system on these vessels. No plan for any Mk 26-compatible version of the Sky Bow III missile is ever known to have existed.

Ships in class

Name Hull No. Crest Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Status
Kidd DDG-993 USS Kidd (DDG-993) crest.png Ingalls Shipbuilding 26 June 1978 11 August 1979 27 March 1981 12 March 1998 Sold to Taiwan, 30 May 2003; commissioned as ROCS Tso Ying (DDG-1803)
Callaghan DDG-994 USS Callaghan (DDG-994) crest.png 23 October 1978 1 December 1979 29 August 1981 31 March 1998 Sold to Taiwan, 30 May 2003; commissioned as ROCS Su Ao (DDG-1802)
Scott DDG-995 USS Scott (DDG-995) crest.png 12 February 1979 1 March 1980 24 October 1981 10 December 1998 Sold to Taiwan, 30 May 2003; commissioned as ROCS Kee Lung (DDG-1801)
Chandler DDG-996 USS Chandler (DDG-996) crest.png 7 May 1979 28 June 1980 13 March 1982 23 September 1999 Sold to Taiwan, 30 May 2003; commissioned as ROCS Ma Kong (DDG-1805)

See also

References

  1. ^ DDG-993 KIDD-class, archived from the original on 9 March 2016
  2. ^ a b Kidd Class, Destroyer History Foundation, archived from the original on 14 March 2016
  3. ^ Chris Bishop, ed. (1988). The Encyclopedia of World Sea Power. New York: Crescent Books. p. 94. ISBN 0-517-65342-7.
  4. ^ Spruance Class, archived from the original on 14 March 2016
  5. ^ a b c McPhedran, Ian (5 November 1999). "Navy told US ships too risky". Herald Sun. News Corporation. p. 26.
  6. ^ "DDG-993 KIDD-class". GlobalSecurity.Org. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  7. ^ "Vsebav completes reactivation of ex-Kidd class guided missile destroyers". PR Newswire. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  8. ^ luke822's album, archived from the original on 20 October 2012, Photo of ship-mounted Hsiung Feng-III Anti-ship missiles taken at Su Ao Harbour
  9. ^ ROC Navy "Year 2020" plan (Traditional Chinese)
  10. ^ Industry briefing released by Navy Command Headquarters, Ministry of National Defense ROC (Traditional Chinese)

External links