The United States Navy has 30 Oliver Hazard Perry Class guided missile frigates remaining in service of the 50 built for the US Navy during the 1970s and 1980s. The frigates have a full load displacement of 4,100t. The maximum speed is 30kt and the range at an economical speed is 4,500nm.
The frigates were built by Bath Iron Works (24) in Maine and Todd Shipyards (29) in Seattle and San Pedro, California. Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG 7) entered service in December 1977. The last USN vessel, USS Ingraham (FFG 61) was commissioned in August 1989. Four ships (FFG 17, 18, 35 and 44) were built for Australia. Australia ordered an additional two new Perry Class ships built by the Williamstown Naval Dockyard (now part of Tenix Defence) – HMAS Melbourne (FFG 05) commissioned in 1992 and HMAS Newcastle (FFG 05) commissioned in 1993.
The island hopes to arm them with a version of the advanced Aegis Combat System, which uses computers and radars to take out multiple targets, as well as sophisticated missile launch technology, the Taipei-based China Times said.
Taiwan's defence ministry was not immediately available for comment when contacted by AFP Monday.
The United States designed the Perry-class frigates in the 1970s but the majority remains in service, equipped with various forms of modern technology.
The deal would add to Taiwan's existing inventory, as it already has eight Perry-class frigates built on the island.
The China Times report came less than a week after the US Defense Department said it had approved the sale of Patriot missile equipment to Taiwan as part of a package passed by Congress more than a year ago.
When unveiled in 2008, the package triggered strong protests from Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to take the island back, by force if necessary.
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