Taiwan's first Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS), Hai Kun (SS-711) , was launched today at the CSBC shipyard in Kaohsiung.
In the morning of February 22, the massive 35,000-ton Floating Drydock, Jong Shyn No.8, quietly docked outside the CSBC shipyard in Kaohsiung. After the September ceremony, the first ship of the Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) , the Hai Kun (SS-711) stayed inside the assembly facility throughout the past months, awaiting for her launch. For the first time since September, the public finally got a clearer glimpse of the Hai Kun when she was moved out from the assembly facility and into the Jong Shyn No.8 on February 26. On the next day, after the final inspection, the submarine was launched from the floating dry dock and moored to a nearby berthing for additional works.
During the first phase of the Harbor Acceptance Trial, CSBC stated that they successfully conducted critical watertight test, weight distribution control, ballast control and stability control test of the hull. In the second phase of Harbor Acceptance Trial in the coming months, the Hai Kun will go through propulsion system checks, subsystem checks, calibration and follow-on installation works such as installing the heart of a diesel submarine, the batteries, as well as installing various Mast Raising Equipment (Optronics, ESM, Radar and Communication Masts), etc.
According to Taiwanese media, under the original optimistic approach, the program management team suggested that they should be able to conduct the upcoming Sea Acceptance Trial in late April and delivered to the Taiwanese Navy by year’s end. However, recent news reported that they still don’t have a concrete sea trial schedule yet, as the schedule is heavily dependent on the progress of the current Harbor Acceptance Trial. Some of the mission systems still haven’t arrive in Taiwan, such as the Mast Raising Equipment provided by L3 Harris wouldn’t arrive until March. Adding the necessary time to install, integrate and test these undelivered subsystems, it is safe to say the Sea Acceptance Trial of Taiwan’s first domestic submarine should occur no earlier than the second half year.
As previously reported by Naval News, the Hai Kung’s configuration appears to be an evolution of the Dutch Walrus-class with a hybrid single / double hull, and some notable common features such as the X rudder. She features 6 torpedo tubes. Official specifications have yet to be released publicly (even for basic figures such as length and displacement).
