Taiwan’s seven domestically built submarines based on the Hai Kun (海鯤), or “Narwhal,” prototype would be built in three batches of “two then three then two,” a source close to the military said yesterday.
The updated 2-3-2 production schedule would be different from the original proposal to build the seven vessels in a 3-2-2 sequence, an anonymous source familiar with the project said.
The decision to build two submarines instead of three in the first batch is because the military believes it might want to make improvements to the designs for the second and third batches of underwater vessels, the source said.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
The Ministry of National Defense’s proposal to build seven submarines from next year to 2038 at an estimated cost of NT$284 billion (US$8.90 billion) was approved by the Cabinet last month. The budget proposal still needs to clear the Legislative Yuan.
The 13-year plan is part of the nation’s Indigenous Defense Submarine program under which the Narwhal, Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine prototype, was developed.
The Narwhal was launched in Kaohsiung in September last year at a ceremony presided over by then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). The prototype began its harbor acceptance tests (HAT) one month later and has been undertaking the final stage of the HAT since Feb. 27.
After the HAT is completed, further sea acceptance tests would be scheduled.
The source would not give further details on the status of the Narwhal’s HAT, but said that the prototype submarine would be delivered to the navy on schedule in November next year.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS