The navy launched three torpedoes from a submarine in separate training drills held on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 without any problems, according to People First Party Legislator Nelson Ku (
"The three torpedo tests were all successful. They were launched in deep waters. The results showed the navy did not have any problem while testing torpedoes in deep waters," Ku said yesterday during the first meeting of the legislature's National Defense Committee, quoting unnamed sources.
Ku did not say where the tests took place.
He said the torpedo tests were practice for a second launch -- in two decades -- of a live torpedo from a submarine scheduled for Tuesday off Pingtung County.
"As the navy failed in its last attempt to launch a live torpedo in the Sept. 4 Hankuang No. 19 exercise, the test was launched in coastal waters," he said.
"The different choices of depth of waters for the torpedo tests produced contrasting results," he said, before asking Minister of National Defense Tang Yao-ming (
Tang did not respond to the question. Nor did he confirm or deny Ku's statements about the torpedo tests.
Tang emphasized, instead, that he made a difficult decision regarding the torpedo launch during the Hankuang No. 19 exercise.
"I should have known better than to make the decision. The navy had warned in advance that it might not be a good idea to launch a live torpedo in [coastal] waters off northeastern Ilan," Tang told Ku.
"The torpedo used in the exercise was brought in, along with many others, in the last two decades via a third country from its original manufacturer [Germany]. In those two decades, these torpedoes have never been tested live except in this year's Hankuang No. 19 exercise," Tang said.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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