TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Navy's Chi Yang-class frigate, the Lan Yang, is set to be decommissioned in mid-January at Xinbin Wharf in Kaohsiung.

The frigate entered service on Aug. 4, 1995, and served for nearly 30 years, according to CNA. Following the decommissioning ceremony, it will be towed to Cijin and repurposed as a target ship. Its guns, radar, and other equipment will be removed and transferred to a logistics unit for storage.

The Navy previously decommissioned two other Chi Yang-class frigates in 2015. These vessels were also converted into target ships and sunk during training exercises.

Primarily used as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessels, the Chi Yang-class frigates have, in recent years, been tasked with monitoring Chinese military vessels near Taiwan. However, their advanced age and outdated equipment have made sourcing spare parts increasingly difficult.

To replace the aging frigates, the Navy purchased two Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates from the US in 2017. Named Ming Chuan and Feng Chia, these ships are equipped with towed array sonars, which reduce interference from the ships’ own noise and allow for more precise submarine detection.

Taiwan is also developing two light frigate prototypes. One will serve an air defense role, equipped with a vertical missile launch system, while the other will specialize in ASW, featuring canister missile launchers and a towed array sonar system.