Taiwan to buy Perry-class frigates from U.S.

Taiwan will purchase two Oliver Hazard Perry-Class frigates from the United States in 2014, as part of its efforts to revive its aging fleet, a defense official confirmed Monday.

Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu said the decommissioned frigates will be purchased with key onboard equipment such as the SQR-19 Towed Array Sonar system, which allows long-range passive detection of enemy submarines.

"This (the equipment) is necessary," Kao said at a hearing in the Legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

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