The navy yesterday refused to comment on a local news report that the US is trying to sell Taiwan four of India's used diesel-powered submarines in compensation for its failure to provide the country with new submarines.
The navy suggested instead that, if the report is correct, then it's based on facts that the navy itself has no knowledge of.
When asked to comment on the issue, the Ministry of National Defense said the chances of Taiwan buying used submarines from India are very low even if the media report should prove to be accurate.
The Chinese-language United Daily News reported yesterday that the US has tried to urge Taiwan to accept the offer of four used diesel-powered submarines. Sources say the Indian navy is expected to decommission the submarines within the next few years.
The report, quoting anonymous sources, said the navy has turned down the offer because officials doubt the Indian submarines will meet the required performance and defensive specifications.
The Indian submarines are of German design, Type 209, which is the same kind of submarine that Taiwan wants to acquire.
The four submarines in question reportedly have been in service seven to 14 years.
The US reportedly has promised to help Taiwan acquire the four submarines within two years and at a very low price.
A navy official, who declined to be identified, said that the navy has been in contact with another country -- not India -- for the procurement of submarines in the event that the US cannot fulfill its obligation to manufacture or obtain new submarines from a third country.
"We have been in talks with Japan over the possibility of buying some of its diesel-powered submarines that are scheduled to be decommissioned over the next few years," the official said.
"We will seek to buy submarines from Japan in the same way that the air force purchased F-104J fighter planes years ago. The submarines will be sold to the US first and then re-sold to Taiwan via the US," the official said.
Erich Shih (施孝瑋), a senior editor with Defense International magazine, said it is very likely that Taiwan can acquire submarines from Japan.
"Japan retires submarines at a very fast pace. Japanese submarines have an average service life of only twenty years. They happen to be retiring a batch of submarines commissioned in sequence in the 1980s," Shih said.
"Japanese submarines are basically of US design. If they agree to sell retired submarines to Taiwan, they must first obtain approval from the US," he said.
RSS