USS Kidd was the lead ship of a four-ship guided-missile destroyer class originally ordered for Iran before the 1979 revolution. The US Navy commissioned the ships instead, creating a high-end air-defense variant related to the Spruance hull. Their Gulf-oriented environmental systems made them well suited to hot-weather operations.
The Kidd class combined Standard missile air defense, strong radar and combat systems, anti-submarine equipment, guns, and helicopter support. Compared with Spruance destroyers, the class had a much stronger air-defense role. This made it one of the most capable non-Aegis destroyer designs in US service.
After US Navy service, all four Kidd-class ships were sold to Taiwan, where they became the Kee Lung class. The transfer gave Taiwan a major surface air-defense capability while also extending the operational life of a specialized Cold War destroyer design.
| Name | Country | Status | Service Year | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
USS Kidd (DDG-993) | 🇺🇸United States | TRANSFERRED | 1981 – 1998 | Kidd-class DDG, transferred to Taiwan as Kee Lung |
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🇺🇸United States
🇨🇳Luda Shipyard, Zhonghua Shipyard, Dalian Shipyard • China
🇺🇸Bath Iron Works, New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington, Avondale Marine, Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company • United States
