CSBC Corp, Taiwan is expected to be able to produce 40 Endeavor Mantas — the company’s military-grade uncrewed surface vessel (USV) — per year, with all components guaranteed to be from non-Chinese sources, the firm said yesterday.
The company made the statement yesterday at a news conference showcasing the Manta and its remote control capabilities.
The ship’s first public appearance was on March 25, but the version showcased yesterday featured an expanded rear flight deck that would allow drones to dock, while the Manta is capable of carrying its own drones under its main deck, CSBC deputy general manager Chou Chih-ming (周志明) said.
Photo: Wang Yi-hung, Taipei Times
CSBC chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said the company had selected a trimaran hull for the ship to counter rough seas in the Taiwan Strait, adding that the company is looking to develop a rescue ship version of the Manta.
The company would be able to provide one hull every seven to 10 days on a single production line, and 40 hulls per year, to satisfy the navy’s orders, Chou said.
None of the components, from large to small, were made in China, and the software used on the ship was developed by a joint venture between domestic and foreign companies, excluding China, Chou added.
Asked about the attack capabilities of the USV, the company’s general manager Tsai Kun-tsung (蔡坤宗) said it was capable of conducting kamikaze attacks or being outfitted with torpedoes, adding that the company has completed tests.
Demonstrations of the ship being remotely controlled from Taipei in Kaohsiung Harbor would be made available at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition.
The three-day exhibition is to open today in Hall 1 of the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.
Separately, the company said that sea acceptance tests (SATs) for the Hai Kun (海鯤) indigenous developed submarine, would not be completed this month.
The company would do everything within its power to ensure that the submarine meets the delivery deadline for November, but the company must ensure that the submarine is safe to use and meets standards, Chen said.
Chen declined to comment on whether the as-yet undelivered periscope would cause further delays or require fresh tests, and said the matter falls squarely in the jurisdiction of the navy.
Asked whether CSBC leadership would be on board the Hai Kun when it conducts diving tests, as pledged by former convener of the indigenous submarine program Huang Shu-kuang (黃曙光), Tsai said submarines have tight quarters, and even he, as the executive officer of the program, cannot say if he would participate in the test.
Huang’s comments were meant more as a reassurance to the public, as submarines have to undergo multiple examinations and checkups of crucial systems before diving tests, Tsai said.
There were contingencies regarding potential need for rescue operations, Tsai said, adding that he was not at liberty to discuss classified information.
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