The second of eight Taiwanese-built frigates based on the Oliver Hazard Perry-class

Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate

The Oliver Hazard Perry class is a class of frigates named after the American Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the naval Battle of Lake Erie...

. Laid down on 21 December 1991 and launched on 15 October 1992, Cheng Ho (鄭和) was commissioned in service on 28 March 1994. All of these Taiwanese FFG's have the length of the later Oliver Hazard Perry FFG's, but have a different weapon and electronics fit.

Namesake

Cheng Ho is named after Cheng Ho (鄭和) (1371 - 1433), who was a mariner

Sailor

A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...

 and explorer in the Ming Dynasty

Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...

 that led several expeditions in early 15th century visiting places on the coasts of Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

 and reached as far west as the Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

n coast.

Specifications

• Displacement: 2851 ton lightship, 3610 ton standard
• Length: 138.8 metres
• Beam: 13.72 metres
• Draught: 8.6 metres
• Armament:
• Mk 13 Missile Launcher
  Mk 13 Missile Launcher
  The Mk-13 guided missile launching system is a single-arm missile launcher designed for use on frigates and other military vessels.The Mark 13 is equipped to fire the RIM-66 Standard, RGM-84 Harpoon, and RIM-24 Tartar missiles for anti-air and anti-ship defense, and is capable of firing the...
  
   for the SM-1MR Standard SAM
  RIM-66 Standard
  The RIM-66 Standard MR is a medium range surface-to-air missile originally developed for the United States Navy . The SM-1 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-24 Tartar that were deployed in the 1950s on a variety of USN ships...
  
  
• 2x4 Hsiung Feng II SSM
  Hsiung Feng II
  The Hsiung Feng II is an anti-ship missile system developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taiwan. The HF-2 is designed to be deployed aboard ships or at land-based facilities, an airborne version has also been developed which can be carried by the ROC Air Force's F-CK...
  
   anti-ship missiles
• Mk 75 Oto Melara 76 mm Compact Gun
• Mk 15 Phalanx 20 mm CIWS
  Phalanx CIWS
  The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...
  
  
• Mk 32 SVTT for Mk 46 Lightweight Torpedoes
  Mark 46 torpedo
  Designed to attack high-performance submarines, the Mark 46 torpedo is the backbone of the U.S. Navy's lightweight ASW torpedo inventory, and is the current NATO standard. These aerial torpedoes, such as the Mark 46 Mod 5, are expected to remain in service until the year 2015...
  
  
• Hangar capacity for two Sikorsky S-70C(M)2 Seahawk helicopters
• Propulsion: Two LM2500 Gas Turbines
  General Electric LM2500
  -External links:* .* *...
  
  coupled to a single shaft and controllable pitch propellor
• Speed: 30+