The navy yesterday announced that the a software upgrade and integration program for the combat system of the four Kidd-class destroyers it is buying from the US began on July 14.
The program is one of the jobs that must be completed before the ships are delivered.
"The program started before the navy held a kick-off meeting in the country with the US military between Aug. 19 and 21 for the deliveries of the four Kidds, " said Chi Yuan-jun (季元俊), deputy director of the Navy's Bureau of Plans.
The navy called a press conference at its Taipei headquarters yesterday to detail the progress in its acquisition of the Kidds.
The kick-off meeting was the first step toward receiving the Kidds. Later this month the navy will send a team to the US to
arrange for the deliveries.
The navy also announced the names and service numbers it has chosen for the four ships.
"The four ships are to be named Chiteh, Mingteh, Tungteh and Wuteh. Their service numbers are to be 1801, 1802, 1803 and 1805," Chi said.
The software upgrade and integration program for the combat system is the navy's top priority.
The combat system of the Kidds is to be upgraded on the basis of the new threat upgrade that the US navy had done to the four ships before deactivating them.
After the system upgrade, the navy said, the overall combat capabilities of the Kidds will be greatly enhanced.
Early last month one of the Kidds was towed to a port in South Carolina for reactivation. The reactivation of the other three ships is to begin at the end of the year.
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