Taiwan’s first indigenous defense submarine on Tuesday was moved out of a dry dock to Pier 91 at Kaohsiung Harbor, with the vessel expected to start preparing to undergo diving tests, although the shipbuilder refused to comment on the matter other than to say that everything was proceeding according to plan.
The Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal) has been through sea trials while based at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard, and sources said that the move to Pier 91 was to facilitate submergence trials before the end of this month, with delivery to the navy scheduled for November.
However, CSBC had no comment on the activity.
Photo courtesy of a reader
The shipbuilder previously said that the Hai Kun had completed at-sea systems tests, including periscope function, during the third phase of sea trials.
System parameters would be adjusted based on trial data, it said.
CSBC also conducted hyperbaric tests and underwater systems calibrations after the third phase of testing and before the submarine was moved to the dry dock on July 8.
The submarine, a prototype of a planned fleet of indigenous vessels, conducted its first tests starting on June 17, involving propulsion, steering, power systems, ventilation, telecoms and navigation instruments, CSBC said.
On June 26, it underwent a second round of tests, focusing on at-sea systems integration, vessel controls and operational capabilities, the company said.
The move to Pier 91 came as CSBC prepares for a new chairman, with board member Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) tapped for the job.
Huang Cheng-hung (黃正弘) last week resigned as chairman, citing family reasons. He is to take up a lecturing role at National Cheng Kung University.
Meanwhile, the CSBC Endeavor Manta, the company’s and the nation’s first military-grade uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), was seen in the area as the Hai Kun was moved on Tuesday.
Whether the USV was on patrol or conducting tests was unknown.
The USV uses a trimaran hull for better balance in choppy seas. It is 8.6m long and 3.7m wide, can carry up to 1 tonne of payload — including lightweight torpedoes and high-powered explosives — and has a top speed of 35 knots (64.8kph).
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