The military has proposed a NT$400 million (US$12.35 million) program to upgrade the nation’s two aging Dutch-made Zwaardvis-class submarines, in which the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology would supervise the “life extension program” (LEP) that would be contracted out to foreign defense companies.
According to sources in the navy, the two submarines have been in service for nearly 30 years and are still seaworthy and capable of carrying out maritime patrol missions, but their electronics and weapons systems are obsolete in terms of operational consistency and reliability.
The two diesel-powered, 2,660-tonne submarines, Hai Lung (海龍, sea dragon) and Hai Hu (海虎, sea tiger), entered service in the navy in 1987 and 1988 respectively.
As most parts for the vessels are no longer in production and suitable replacements cannot be found, it is difficult to maintain and repair the submarines, naval officials said, adding that a large-scale upgrade program is needed to enhance their operational capabilities and to extend their service lives.
Plans for upgrades were also made necessary by president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) indigenous defense submarine project to enable the domestic production of eight attack submarines, under which the first vessel would not be commissioned until 2025.
Ministry of National Defense officials have expressed apprehensiveness over the number of variables and uncertainties involved in the successful development of a domestically produced submarine, saying the planned timeline might not be fulfilled and that it would be best to upgrade the two aging vessels, Taiwan’s main underwater fighting force, before the launch of new submarines.
The institute, designated as the main contractor for the two-year program that is to run from this month until March 2018, is to invite tender offers from foreign defense companies that have the technical expertise to integrate weapons and operational systems into the submarines.
The program is divided into three main components: enhancing equipment and systems for electronic warfare; improving combat capabilities; and upgrading weapons systems, including the ability to use US-made long-range Mark 48 Advanced Capability torpedoes.
According to a report in Defense News yesterday, contracts for the program’s design work were last month awarded to two unidentified European marine engineering firms, with the institute’s Ship and Ocean Industries Research and Development Center to play a significant role as a subcontractor.
Design work is to take about two years, with actual modification and installation work to begin in 2018 and be completed by 2020, the report said.
Mark Stokes, Project 2049 Institute executive director and a former Pentagon official, said that the US would provide technical assistance for the program, adding: “Help on the LEP should be a positive indicator of US support for Taiwan designing, developing and manufacturing new diesel-electric submarines. Better late than never.”
Additional reporting by Jason Pan
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS