Taiwan’s first Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS), Hai Kun (SS-711), will begin sea trials in April as planned, according to shipbuilder CSBC.
On February 23, Taiwan’s UP MEDIA reported that Hai Kun (aka Narwhal ) encountered some power supply problems in the Harbor Acceptance Test (HAT): Unstable voltage of the ground facilities have damaged many of the submarine’s spare components. As a consequence, the planned Sea Acceptance Test (SAT) in April may be delayed.
Taiwan’s navy issued a press release on February 25 , rejecting UP MEDIA’s report, saying that CSBC facilities are equipped with voltage stabilizers, and there is no voltage instability, sea acceptance tests will start in April as scheduled. Defense ministry spokesman, army major general Sun Li-fang (å«ç«‹æ–¹) also told medias that the tests of Hai Kun will be conducted following the original timetable, and the report that claiming the progress of submarine project being behind the schedule is untrue.
CSBC issued another press release on February 28, saying that Hai Kun has completed the “rolling test and quasi-submersible test and will float to the test dock on February 28 to conduct main engine adjustment and mooring tests.
Earlier in January, pro-China annexation opposition lawmakers voted to freeze 50 percent of the fund allocated for the IDS program in FY 2025, the funding can be started again after the submarine qualified the sea trials and the defense ministry submitted a report to parliament to get the approval .The pro-China annexation opposition has once threatened to cut all IDS program budget.
Taiwan’s Current Submarine Force
The Indigenous Defense Submarine was unveiled in September 2023 and launched in February 2024. Aside from the advanced but yet-to-be-delivered Hai Kun, Taiwan’s navy (ROC Navy) currently operates four submarines:
The relatively new and advanced Chien Lung-class (Hai Lung-class or Sea Dragon class) includes ROCS Hai Lung (Sea Dragon), SS-793 and ROCS Hai Hu (Sea Tiger), SS-794, purchased from the Netherlands in the 1980s. They are equipped with AEG SUT 264 heavyweight torpedoes produced under license in Indonesia in the 1980s, Harpoon missiles purchased from the U.S. in 2008, and MK-48 torpedoes acquired from the U.S. in 2017.
ROCS Hai Shih (Sea Lion), SS-791 and ROCS Hai Pao (Seal), SS-792 are the older, these two World War II vintage submarines were transferred from the U.S. in the 1970s. Both underwent Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY) conversions and are unofficially referred to as Guppy class in Taiwan. They are still operational and reportedly capable of combat.
