The Hai Kun (海鯤), Taiwan’s first indigenous defense submarine, is currently undergoing sea acceptance tests (SAT), first involving surface navigation trials and progressing to submerged tests only after safety is ensured, a navy official said today.
The submarine, also known as the Narwhal, carried out its third SAT involving surface navigation trials on July 3, was seen docked at Kaohsiung Port on Sept. 2.
The public is watching closely whether it would begin SAT submerged trials and whether CSBC Corp would deliver it to the navy in November as scheduled.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
At a news conference held by the Ministry of National Defense today, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) said that the Hai Kun’s system equipment has all been updated, and it has completed watertight testing and underwater equipment inspections.
It was relocated to the test pier on Sept. 2 and is undergoing preparations and safety evaluations for further testing, Chiu said.
Surface navigation trials would be carried out step by step, and once the conditions for submersion are met and safety is assured, submerged tests would be conducted, he said.
Chiu said that the priority is to maintain safety and quality of testing, while also advancing progress in line with the contract.
As half of this year’s submarine budget was frozen by lawmakers, the navy would report to the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee after the prototype submarine passes sea trials, seeking to have the funds released, Chiu said.
Chiu previously said that the Hai Kun would first undergo three or four rounds of surface navigation tests and then undergo its first submerged tests at about 50m deep.
Only after passing these tests would it be submerged to the standard depth of 200m, he said.
Following both surface and submerged tests, the submarine would be evaluated for its combat ability before its trials are considered complete, he said.
Regarding the delivery schedule of 66 F-17V jets purchased from the US, Air Force Command Headquarters Planning Director Rear Admiral Chiang Yuan-chi (江元琦) said that the military is monitoring production progress through regular meetings with the US program office.
Reports suggesting that the first of the jets would be delivered by Double Ten National Day on Oct. 10 are purely speculative and not factual, Chiang added.
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