Harbor acceptance tests (HAT) for the indigenous Hai Kun (海鯤), or Narwhal, submarine are 50 to 60 percent complete, a navy official said today, refuting rumors that there were 70 aspects that needed to be improved.
The Hai Kun, Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine prototype, was launched on Sept. 28 last year.
It began its HAT a month later, and has been undertaking the final stage since Feb. 27.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
Final delivery is expected in November next year.
Submarine systems are highly specialized and complex, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) told a routine Ministry of National Defense news conference this morning.
The HAT is about 50 to 60 percent complete, and has identified more than 10 items in need of improvement, “not the 70 that has been reported,” he said.
Sea acceptance tests would be scheduled once all requirements are met, including floating, submersion and deep water testing, he said.
Chiu confirmed that the submarine was on track for delivery in November next year and acceptance by the navy the month after.
Asked whether the military would build submarine pens, Chiu said that not many cave-like bunkers for submarines exist around the world.
Submarine operations are complex and focus on surprise attacks and concealment, he said.
As the Taiwan Strait is a relatively small area of engagement, the nation’s submarines would be decentralized and join with other maritime forces as needed, he added, declining to disclose operational details.
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