2. INTRODUCTION
• The Knox Class frigates are ex-US Navy ships currently remaining in service
with the Navies of Republic of China (Taiwan), Mexico, Turkey, Thailand and
Egypt. The US Navy put a total of 46 ships into retirement by 1994.
• The keel for the lead ship in the class, USS Knox (FF-1052), was laid in October
1965. The ship was commissioned in April 1969 at the Todd Shipyard in Seattle.
• The final ship of the class, USS Moinester (FF-1097), was commissioned in
November 1974. The Knox Class ships were built at Todd, Avondale and
Lockheed shipyards.
3.
4. DESIGN
• Designed principally as anti-submarine platforms, the Knox Class frigates are
equipped with hull mounted sonars.
• The ship's design incorporates a helicopter deck and a hangar on the aft side.
• The frigate is powered by a steam powerplant. The propulsion system
provides faster acceleration to the ship.
• Knox Class has an overall length of 133.5m, beam of 14.3m and draught of
7.5m.
5.
6. ARMAMENTS
• Knox Class frigates are armed with an Mk-16 eight-cell missile launcher for
ASROC and Harpoon missiles, and a RIM-7 Sea Sparrow basic point defence
missile system (BPDMS) or Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS).
• The Sea Sparrow missile can be used against the low-flying aircraft approaching
the ship.
• Four single tube launchers are fitted for Mark 46 torpedoes. The main gun
installed forward is a 127mm 54 calibre Mark 42 gun.
7.
8. COUNTERMEASURES
• The Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare (EW)
system on-board provides early warning, identification and
direction capabilities against simultaneous threats.
• The system can be interfaced with decoy launchers for the
firing decoys and chaff to deceive incoming anti-ship
missiles.
9.
10. PROPULSION
• The frigate is powered by a single, screw-geared turbine driving a single
propeller shaft.
• It generates a power output of 26MW. Two boilers installed on the steam
plant are equipped with a high-pressure forced draught air supply system.
• The propulsion system provides the ship a maximum speed of 27kt.
