Naval ships built with Taiwan-U.S. collaboration decommissioned
ROC Central News Agency
2011/12/28 17:06:56
Taipei, Dec. 28 (CNA) A decommission ceremony for two naval vessels built with collaboration with the United States took place Wednesday in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, witnessed by the ships' crew and their families.
The 200-ton Lung Chiang PG-601 and Sui Chiang PG-602, both of which are PSMM Mk5 Multi Mission Patrol Ships and believed to be the Republic of China Navy's largest patrol ships, were formally retired at the Navy's Sin Pin Pier.
The ceremony was presided over by Naval Fleet Commander Chiang Lung-an, who announced the decommissioning and accepted the ships' seals and badges to complete the procedure.
The two ships had been used for a variety of tasks during their more-than 30 years in service, including protecting fishermen, rescue work and countering infiltration, said the commander.
They played a significant role in defending the stability across the Taiwan Strait and participated in various key exercises and drills, Chiang added.
In 1978, the U.S. agreed to sell eight PSMM Mk5 military boats to Taiwan. The two were the first and only ones in the contract to be completed and began service in late 1978 and 1981, respectively.
Equipped with the H930Mod2 combat system and Hsiung Feng I anti-ship missiles, they were part of the navy's major attack vessels, according to Fleet Command.
The rest of the ships were not built after defects were found in their design and the U.S. severed diplomatic ties with the ROC in 1978, thus ending the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty.
The servicemen showed their families around the ships, capturing their final memories of the historic vessels with their cameras and smartphones.
The two boats were scheduled to berth at the Navy's Chijin base while their final fate is determined. (By Chen Ja-fo and Kendra Lin) ENDITEM/J
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
