The delivery of USS Kidd-class destroyers next year to Taiwan is token help but it's 1970s technology and ship design.I agree. And they would need extensive modernization to match China's Type 052 "Aegis" ships. Better to just give them ready-made Arleigh Burkes complete with the SM-2/3 and Spy-1F. Taiwan is on the priority list to get the Patriot PAC-3 (the latest and greatest in the series, performed flawlessly in Gulf War 2 save for that Chinese land-attack cruise missile Saddam shot off at Kuwait City) but Taiwan's leadership is having problems procuring it (and other hardwar as part of Bush's 2001 deal) thanks to the KMT.
With their Standard missiles, with Harpoon, with the excellent ASW capability, and with their NTU (New Threat Upgrade) sensor suite [NTDS (Naval Tactical Data Sytem)operating SPS-48E air search, SPS-55 Surface search, SPG-60 and SPQ-9A gun fire control, and UFCS (Underwater Fire Control System) operating SQS-53 sonar], I believe the KIDDs will fair very well against both the Sovermenny and the Lanzhou. In addition, they have the Phalanx CIWS and are NAVMACS (Naval Modular Automated Communication System).
When in US service they were known as AEGIS-light, and sport the ability to fire surface-to-air missiles in support of Aegis cruisers, which, if necessary, can assume control of the KIDD's missiles (very critical in any confrontation in the Straits of Formosa). The were considered in the mid-to late 1990's, next to the AEGIS cruisers, to be the most formidable warship of her size ever to patrol the world's oceans, blending the best features of the SPRUANCE Class destroyers with the combat system of the VIRGINIA Class nuclear cruisers to produce a ship with unique characteristics:
- A ship so quiet, and an ASW system so capable, that she operates offensively against submarines.
- They were considered, next to the AEGIS ships, to be the most sophisticated medium-range AAW systems in the Fleet, quick-reacting and highly accurate, with the capability for today's air defense environment and the growth potential for tomorrow's.
- An exceptionally reliable and responsive engineering plant.
- A deadly surface-to-surface weapons capability
IOW...do not count the KIDDs out, they are still very, very capable surface combatants.
Just my opinion.
