Navy's Cheng De Frigate Completes Performance Upgrade, Precisely Destroys Target Drone with Sea Sword II Missile via Vertical Launch System

The Republic of China Navy has successfully upgraded the 'Cheng De' (1208), the first of its Kang Ding-class frigates, enhancing its combat capabilities with a new vertical launch system and domestically developed missiles. The frigate officially returned to a state of combat readiness in February.

This week, the 'Cheng De' conducted live-fire exercises off the coast of Jiupeng, successfully launching a Hsiung Feng II (Sea Sword II) missile from its new vertical launch system. The missile accurately destroyed a target drone simulating an enemy aircraft. This demonstration signifies a substantial improvement in the frigate's air defense capabilities.

The Hsiung Feng II missile has an effective range of 30 to 50 kilometers, a significant increase compared to the older, shorter-range missiles previously equipped on the Kang Ding-class frigates. This upgrade effectively expands the frigate's air defense radius by six to ten times, providing a much more robust defensive shield.

This exercise marked several "firsts" for the Navy. It was the first time the domestically produced "Huayang" vertical launch system was deployed and fired from an operational warship, although it had been tested previously on a test vessel. Similarly, while the Hsiung Feng II missile has been fired from various platforms, this was its first launch from a vertical system on a combat vessel, a major advancement for naval air defense. The Kang Ding-class frigates, also known as the Lafayette-class, are undergoing a phased upgrade, with one ship being modernized each year to maintain fleet readiness.

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The frigate Cheng De's air defense capability has been substantially improved.