Taiwan launches 6000 ton frigate project to resist Chinese maritime threats.

Taiwan has decided to accelerate the development of its fleet by including in the 2026 budget a project for a 6,000-ton frigate. An allocation of NT$142.03 million (about US$4.4 million) has been reserved to finance the design phase of a prototype, marking a decisive step in reviving this program. The design will be carried out by domestic institutes with expertise in naval architecture, while leading foreign laboratories will conduct model tests to validate and optimize the vessel’s overall configuration. This dual approach reflects Taipei’s intention to combine the autonomy of its defense industry with the assurance provided by international technical standards.
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Concept rendering of Taiwan’s future 6,000-ton frigate, equipped with guided missile systems and the AN/SPY-7 radar, designed to strengthen the Navy’s capability in blue-water operations (Picture source: Editing content from Army Recognition Group)

The program goes beyond simple feasibility study. According to information published by the Taipei Times, the Ministry of National Defense has already issued tenders for proposals covering hull structure, propulsion systems, radar, and weapons. The planned ship is presented as a new-generation guided-missile frigate, equipped with the AN/SPY-7 active radar, which would give it advanced detection and air-defense capabilities comparable to those of front-line vessels in some allied navies. The objective is to develop a versatile warship able to operate far from Taiwan’s coasts and protect maritime routes critical to the island’s supply lines.

The Taiwanese Navy explains this choice as a response to mounting Chinese pressure and tensions in the East and South China Seas. The future 6,000-ton frigates are expected to perform several missions: open-sea training, escorting logistics convoys, protecting sea lines of communication, and supporting offshore replenishment. Their increased size and endurance are intended to enhance the flexibility of naval deployments, giving Taiwan the ability to operate more quickly and at greater range in a strategic environment where the numerical advantage of China’s navy requires constant modernization.

This project is part of a broader plan already underway, with the construction of two light frigate prototypes, one focused on air defense and the other on anti-submarine warfare. Ten additional units are planned once these initial models are validated. These smaller frigates will be equipped with 3D radars, vertical launch systems for surface-to-air missiles, Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles, and shipborne drones, providing an initial response to immediate needs in coastal defense and denial-of-access operations. In parallel, the development of a heavier 6,000-ton frigate is aimed at giving the Navy a complementary capability designed for high-seas operations and regional presence.

Taiwan’s fleet currently includes four Keelung-class destroyers (ex-US Kidd), two Hai Lung-class submarines, and twenty-two frigates, among them the Cheng Kung class (modified Oliver Hazard Perry), the Meng Chuan class (ex-Oliver Hazard Perry), the Chin Yang class (ex-Knox), and the Kang Ding class (local version of the French Lafayette). These ships, armed with Hsiung Feng II or III anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air systems such as the SM-1MR or Sea Chaparral, and Mk 46 lightweight torpedoes, today provide defense of Taiwan’s coastal waters and the strait. Their role remains limited, however, in blue-water operations where China fields modern task groups including heavy destroyers and missile-equipped cruisers.

In this context, the announcement of the design phase for a 6,000-ton frigate underscores Taipei’s intent to move beyond a strictly coastal defense posture and acquire credible high-seas deterrent and operational assets. By combining local expertise with international technical input, the project reflects a pragmatic and forward-looking strategy aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s maritime resilience in the face of regional security challenges.