After a 12-minute journey, a torpedo launched from a Jianlong-class submarine hit its target ship yesterday, and officials at the Kaohsiung naval base hailed the drill as a success.
"The live drill proved that submarines are an effective and useful force, and the navy hopes that it can quickly establish an advanced submarine force," naval chief of operations Chen Pan-chih (陳邦治) said yesterday.
The drill was conducted in waters off Hsiao Liuchiu (小琉球), an island off the southwest coast. The Jianlong-class submarine launched the torpedo at 9am and hit the target in a violent plume of water. Chen and the other officials cheered as the torpedo hit the target.
PHOTO: AP
A half hour later, the smoking ship slowly sank.
The Navy broadcast the drill live at the Kaohsiung base. Chen admitted that he and naval officials were under pressure because variables in the sea environment might have affected the torpedo's path.
The navy has fired submarine-launched torpedoes five times in the last two years. Three of them hit the targets.
Chen said yesterday's drill used a large, wire-guided torpedo costing NT$100 million (US$3.2 million).
He then called for the formation of an advanced submarine force to deter China from engaging in a war.
Chen said that if China's submarines blockaded Taiwan's harbors and sea lanes, Taiwanese submarines would be able to counter-blockade in kind along the coast and in major harbors.
He said the currently stalled arms-procurement bill would, if passed, greatly increase the cost and risks for China if it attempted to start a war with Taiwan.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from