The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, yesterday began sea trials, sailing out of the Port of Kaohsiung, a military source said.
Also known as the “Narwhal,” the vessel departed from CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard at about 8am, where it had been docked.
More than 10 technicians and military personnel were on deck, with several others standing atop the sail.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
After recently completing its harbor acceptance test, the vessel has started a series of sea-based trials, including tests of its propulsion and navigational systems, while partially surfaced, the source said.
The Hai Kun underwent tests in the port from Saturday to Monday focused on fine-tuning its propulsion system, they added.
The submarine would be heavily guarded during sea trials, with the navy deploying M109 assault boats, Kuang Hua VI-class missile boats and Cheng Kung-class frigates to secure the test zones, the source said.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
A sea trial — also known as a sea acceptance test — is a formal series of open-water evaluations designed to determine whether a newly built or significantly upgraded vessel meets its contractual performance specifications before delivery.
For submarines, sea trials typically assess propulsion, steering and navigation, depth capabilities and acoustic signature. Some of these tests require the vessel to be fully submerged.
However, the navy yesterday declined to comment on when submerged trials for the “Narwhal” would commence.
Photo courtesy of CSBC Corp, Taiwan
Despite declining to comment on the testing schedule, navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) said the contractual deadline for the submarine to be delivered to the navy in November remained unchanged.
The program has faced repeated delays based on public stated commitments.
When the “Narwhal” prototype was unveiled in September 2023, Huang Shu-kuang (黃曙光), the indigenous submarine program convener at the time, said that the vessel could be delivered before the end of last year — a target that was not met.
The Hai Kun subsequently missed another key deadline on April 30 for completing its harbor trials, amid reports that testing had been hampered by technical issues, including damage to components caused by voltage surges from the onshore power supply used during testing in February.
Former navy adviser Kuo Hsi (郭璽) alleged on his online show that the submarine had problems with leakage.
The navy declined to comment when asked about Kuo’s remarks.
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about 1,900 as
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
The WHO ignored early COVID-19 warnings from Taiwan, US Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill said on Friday, as part of justification for Washington withdrawing from the global health body. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said that the US was pulling out of the UN agency, as it failed to fulfill its responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO “ignored early COVID warnings from Taiwan in 2019 by pretending Taiwan did not exist, O’Neill wrote on X on Friday, Taiwan time. “It ignored rigorous science and promoted lockdowns.” The US will “continue international coordination on infectious
RSS