Kidd class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The Kidd class guided missile destroyer
s (DDGs) were a series of four warships based upon the hull of the Spruance class
destroyers. These ships were originally ordered by the Shah of Iran
for service in the Persian Gulf
in an air defense role. The Shah of Iran was overthrown 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
, each of whom died in combat in the Pacific
in World War II: was named after Rear Admiral
Isaac C. Kidd
, who died on the bridge of his flagship, the , during the attack on Pearl Harbor
on 7 December 1941. was named after Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan who was killed during a surface action at the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942, aboard the . was named after Rear Admiral Norman Scott, who was killed during the same surface action that killed Admiral Callaghan at the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, aboard the . was named after Rear Admiral Theodore Chandler, who died on 7 January 1945, as a result of burns received from a kamikaze
crashing into his flagship, the , the previous day.
began, and the ships were completed for the U.S. 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. During their service with the U.S. Navy the ships were popularly known as the "Ayatollah" or "dead admiral" class.
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. 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. After the Australian refusal, the four ships were offered to Greece, which also refused.
. All four have been transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy
under 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. The reactivation was done in Charleston, South Carolina, by VSE/BAV.
, a military port in eastern Taiwan, in December 2005, and were named Kee Lung (DDG-1801)
and Su Ao (DDG-1802)
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 (DDG-1803)
and Ma Kong (DDG-1805)
, 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, DDG-1802 Su Ao was spotted to have 8 HF-3
AShMs
installed in place of 8 Harpoon AShMs.
Guided missile destroyer
A guided missile destroyer is a destroyer designed to launch guided missiles. Many are also equipped to carry out anti-submarine, anti-air, and anti-surface operations. In the U.S...
s (DDGs) were a series of four warships based upon the hull of the Spruance class
Spruance class destroyer
The Spruance-class destroyer was developed by the United States to replace a large number of World War II-built Allen M. Sumner- and Gearing-class destroyers, and was the primary destroyer built for the U.S. Navy during the 1970s....
destroyers. These ships were originally ordered by the Shah of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
for service in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
in an air defense role. The Shah of Iran was overthrown 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
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
, each of whom died in combat in the Pacific
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
in World War II: was named after Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Isaac C. Kidd
Isaac C. Kidd
Isaac Campbell Kidd was an American Rear Admiral in the United States Navy who was killed on the bridge of the during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was the father of Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, Jr.. He was a posthumous recipient of his nation's highest military honor — the Medal of...
, who died on the bridge of his flagship, the , during the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
on 7 December 1941. was named after Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan who was killed during a surface action at the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942, aboard the . was named after Rear Admiral Norman Scott, who was killed during the same surface action that killed Admiral Callaghan at the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, aboard the . was named after Rear Admiral Theodore Chandler, who died on 7 January 1945, as a result of burns received from a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
crashing into his flagship, the , the previous day.
History
Originally built for the Shah of Iran's government, the contracts were canceled when the 1979 Iranian RevolutionIranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
began, and the ships were completed for the U.S. 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. During their service with the U.S. Navy the ships were popularly known as the "Ayatollah" or "dead admiral" class.
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
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
each. In 1999, the offer was rejected, based on extensive problems the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
had encountered during the acquisition of two surplus Newport class tank landing ships
Newport class tank landing ship
Newport-class tank-landing ships are an improved class of American tank-landing ship , intended to provide substantial advantages over their World War II-era predecessors...
from the U.S. Navy in 1994. After the Australian refusal, the four ships were offered to Greece, which also refused.
Sale and reactivation
In 2001, the US authorized the reactivation and sale of all four ships to TaiwanRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. All four have been transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy
Republic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
under 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. The reactivation was done in Charleston, South Carolina, by VSE/BAV.
Kee Lung class destroyers
The first two ships, ex-Scott and ex-Callaghan, arrived at Su-aoSu-ao, Yilan
Su-ao , located in southern Yilan County, Taiwan, is an urban township that is famous for its seafood restaurants and cold springs. It is the destination of National Highway No. 5, Su-ao-Hualian Express Way, and North-Link Line of Taiwan Railway Administration...
, a military port in eastern Taiwan, in December 2005, and were named Kee Lung (DDG-1801)
ROCS Kee Lung (DDG-1801)
ROCS Kee Lung is the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers currently in active service of Republic of China Navy.-History:...
and Su Ao (DDG-1802)
ROCS Su Ao (DDG-1802)
ROCS Su Ao is a guided-missile destroyer currently in active service of the Republic of China Navy. Su Ao was formerly American , which was decommissioned from the United States Navy in 1998...
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 (DDG-1803)
ROCS Tso Ying (DDG-1803)
ROCS Tso Ying is a guided-missile destroyer currently in active service of Republic of China Navy. It was formally commissioned at Suao Naval Base in northeastern Taiwan on 3 November 2006 along with sister ship . Tso Ying is named after the largest naval base in Taiwan, the Tso Ying Naval Base...
and Ma Kong (DDG-1805)
ROCS Ma Kong (DDG-1805)
ROCS Ma Kong is a guided-missile destroyer currently in active service of Republic of China Navy.She was formerly the American which was decommissioned from the United States Navy in September 1999 and sold to the Republic of China Navy on 30 May 2003.- External links :*...
, 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, DDG-1802 Su Ao was spotted to have 8 HF-3
Hsiung Feng III
The Hsiung Feng III is the third in the Hsiung Feng series of anti-ship missiles developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taiwan...
AShMs
Anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
installed in place of 8 Harpoon AShMs.
Ships in class
- Original name:
- Tentative IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian name: KouroushCyrus the GreatCyrus II of Persia , commonly known as Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus the Elder, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much... - Present name: Tso Ying (左營, DDG-1803)ROCS Tso Ying (DDG-1803)ROCS Tso Ying is a guided-missile destroyer currently in active service of Republic of China Navy. It was formally commissioned at Suao Naval Base in northeastern Taiwan on 3 November 2006 along with sister ship . Tso Ying is named after the largest naval base in Taiwan, the Tso Ying Naval Base...
; was to be Tung Teh (同德); Commissioned on 3 November 2006
- Tentative Iran
- Original name:
- Tentative Iranian name: Daryush
- Present name: Su Ao (蘇澳, DDG-1802)ROCS Su Ao (DDG-1802)ROCS Su Ao is a guided-missile destroyer currently in active service of the Republic of China Navy. Su Ao was formerly American , which was decommissioned from the United States Navy in 1998...
; was to be Ming Teh (明德); Commissioned on 17 December 2005
- Original name:
- Tentative Iranian name: NaderNader ShahNāder Shāh Afshār ruled as Shah of Iran and was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty. Because of his military genius, some historians have described him as the Napoleon of Persia or the Second Alexander...
- Present name: Kee Lung (基隆, DDG-1801)ROCS Kee Lung (DDG-1801)ROCS Kee Lung is the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers currently in active service of Republic of China Navy.-History:...
; was to be Chi Teh (紀德); Commissioned on 17 December 2005
- Tentative Iranian name: Nader
- Original name:
- Tentative Iranian name: AnoshirvanKhosrau IKhosrau I , also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: انوشيروان meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just...
- Present name: Ma Kong (馬公, DDG-1805)ROCS Ma Kong (DDG-1805)ROCS Ma Kong is a guided-missile destroyer currently in active service of Republic of China Navy.She was formerly the American which was decommissioned from the United States Navy in September 1999 and sold to the Republic of China Navy on 30 May 2003.- External links :*...
; was to be Wu Teh (武德); Commissioned on 3 November 2006
- Tentative Iranian name: Anoshirvan