Two decommissioned U.S. destroyers depart for Taiwan

Two decommissioned Kidd-class U.S. destroyers purchased by Taiwan have departed for the island and will arrive in December, a television station reported Sunday.

A 600-member Taiwanese crew set sail Saturday with the warships, christened "Keelung" and "Suao," from Port Charleston, South Carolina, CTI Cable Station reported.

"The destroyers will boost significantly our air defense and anti-submarine capabilities," Adm. Chen Pang-chih of the Taiwanese navy told CTI.

Taiwan purchased four of the 8,000-ton guided-missile ships in 2001 for US$800 million (€670 million). They were decommissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1998, and are expected to remain in service for another 20 years.

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