Why the Kidd class Destroyers over the Arleigh Burke class Destroyers?

[Guest Commander Hamblin]

The Bush administration's decision to sell the four Kidd class Destroyers to Taiwan, as well as a number of SSK's (Diesel powered Hunter/Killer subs, hence the "k") to Taiwan. The Kidd class are offshoots of the Spruance class, originally built for the Shah of Iran, and their hull numbers going from DD 993 Kidd to DD 996 Chandler.

If the Bush administration had decided to go ahead and sell four Arleigh Burke class AEGIS equipped Destroyers to Taiwan, these would have had to be built with the normal Arleigh Burke building schedule.

Currently in the schedule, the latest Arleigh Burke class Destroyer to enter service was DDG 81 Winston S. Churchill, which was two months ago. The next one to be commissioned will be DDG 82 Lassen, although I'm not sure on the exact date, it'll be some time later this year.

As to the rest of them, DDG 83 has been built and christened, and is currently being fitted out, crew roster chosen, etc, so that she can be ready for her commissioning date (Again, I don't know when that is, but it'll be some time next year). DDG's 84 to 88 are all under construction, and have been named. DDG 89 to DDG 101 have been ordered, and but have only named up to DDG 94.

That means that the first ship that could be sold to Taiwan would have to be after DDG 94. DDG 102 to DDG 107 are planned as well, and that will probably be all of the Arleigh Burke class, as by then the DD 21 Zumwalt class will probably be edging ever closer to service, or may even be in service by then (Not sure on the time table for that).

So, if Bush were to sell four Arleigh Burke class Destroyers to Taiwan, at the least, they would have to be DDG 102 to DDG 105. I heard a figure that these ships would not even be constructed until 2010, and that's also reflected in a commissioning date of 2006 for DDG 94 Paul H. Nitze, and with DDG 95 to DDG 101 being planned, it'd take about three or four years to build that many ships, which would leave a date of 2010 for DDG 102.

Anyway, the thing is, although this would be a lot longer for Taiwain to wait for the shipment of Destroyers, it would actually be a better long term investment for Taiwain than the Kidd class Destroyers, which are 20+ years old already. However, these ships would be brand new, and, they would easily be the best AAW vessels in Taiwan's arsenal, as well as packing quite a bit of an ASuW and ASW punch. They'd certainly be the match for China's two Sovremmeny class Destroyers.

The thing is, by 2010, China's Navy will have made significant improvements (I'd expect, considering the poor state of their Navy now), and they should have at least one Aircraft Carrier, though I'd expect it'd be a Light Carrier with a small aircraft carrying capacity, but it'd be something. This would make AAW ships essential to any conflict Taiwan has with China, as they lack Carriers of their own (Although at that point, who knows).

While Kidd class Destroyers might be quick and capable in the short term (They'll be fully refitted and ready by 2003), Arleigh Burke class ships would be far better for Taiwan's defence in the long term.

What does anyone else here think?

[GREG MILLER]

James,

The Kidd Sale had been planned well over a year ago. I don't think we sell brand new ships, they are for our navy to replace older ships like the Kidd.

[Guest]

And actually the Kidd class have already been built, they were originally built for the Shaw of Iran, and they have been sitting, now they will be recommissioned and sold to the Taiwanese. Also the really sad thing about the subs, we don't build Diesel subs in the US, we are strictly nuclear when it comes to Submarines, the Germans or the Italians will have to build them for us, so that we can sell them to the Taiwanese. Guess what, the Chinese are putting pressure on the Germans and the Italians so that they won't build them for us. We'll see what happens. Oh, and the Aegis are still on the table, the kidds are now, the Aegis will take 9 years after the agreement to build.

We barely have enough trained people to run our Aegis, to train the Taiwanese to run them will be very difficult to say the least!!

[aramike]

Good move by Bush.

Think: If the Chinese get serious about taking Taiwan, it would be difficult to stop them. Further, they may end up with a couple of SERIOUSLY advanced Destroyers for their reverse-engineering pleasure.

By sending slightly obsolete ships, the US is not taking that serious risk AND we are sending a message of warning to China.

[Guest Commander Hamblin]

[Guest]

Geez Commander Hamblin, you know a lot more about this stuff then I do, I'm a big army freak, ask me about that, I'll ask you the naval questions. Now I was reading that they were planning on building a ship that was strictly a missile ship, this thing was gonna be nothing but tubes and hatches, and loaded to the gills with as many missiles as you could ever want. This was going to be a new member of a tactical fleet group, and totally controlled from the Aegis cruiser in the group. Do you know about this ship? and if so, could you give me a little more info, because it sounds BAD!!!

[aramike]

[Guest Commander Hamblin]

[aramike]

[Maxamillian]

China is patient, they will wait and when the are ready they will move. There will be nothing that the US or any other country will be able to do. Who here remembers Russia rolling tanks into Hungry? Who was there to stop them. The world will wake up one morning and will find 500,000 troops already on the island claiming that they were invited and there wont be anyone able to dispute it. Do you think that the Chinese will let you know when they are ready to do the dirty? You still trust in the good intentions of your country, well, I will always look twice when ever the US makes a promise. They lied to my ancestors and they have lied to me, sooo if I was Taiwan I would be very worried.

'MAX'

[Guest Commander Hamblin]