The first batch of Harpoon missiles purchased from the US would be delivered around the end of this year to provide critical combat power for the Littoral Combatant Command (LCC), the navy said yesterday.
Following the establishment of the LCC on Jan. 1, the first batch of the 400 Harpoon anti-ship missiles would be delivered around the end of this year on schedule, navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
The LCC is thus expected to start operating in July next year, he said, adding that the navy would collaborate with the Ministry of National Defense to facilitate the adoption of the missiles, which would be critical combat equipment under the LCC’s jurisdiction.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
Drones and uncrewed vessels would also be incorporated into the LCC system for littoral strikes and multidomain interception, he said, adding that their manufacturing has started.
Asked whether the timeline for the completion of the indigenous Hai Kun (海鯤) submarine was “overly optimistic,” Chiu agreed the initially planned six months for the testing phase was insufficient.
However, he added that he was confident they would be able to complete the test launch of training torpedoes from the submarine before the torpedo verification system leased from the US expires in May next year.
The submarine was built on schedule, but more time is needed for the testing, Chiu said, adding that all the equipment test reports met the navy’s criteria.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that real-world challenges, such as difficulties in obtaining relevant equipment and technical support from the original manufacturer, were not fully understood when the timeline was set.
However, safety and quality would be prioritized in subsequent sea acceptance tests, he said.
Asked whether the Hai Kun uses a main engine typically for trucks or buses, Chiu said the designer of the engine and power source went through a selection process and has an export license.
CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台船) chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) added that the engine was manufactured by a diesel-engine powerhouse, and that it would submit supporting documents to the legislature.
Asked whether penalties would be meted out if the submarine cannot be delivered to the navy next month as scheduled, Koo and the ministry’s Procurement Office Director Chao Ya-ping (趙亞平) said the daily fine would be about NT$190,000 (US$6,199).
The accumulated amount would be capped at about NT$4 billion, 20 percent of the NT$19.3 billion cost for building the submarine, they said.
Asked whether the verification equipment for the torpedo test must be returned to the US even if the test launch fails to be completed by May, Chiu said the navy would do its best to meet the goal.
It would apply to extend the lease period if needed, he said, adding that whether the equipment must be returned to the US could be negotiated.
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