The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first locally built submarine, allegedly suffered a total failure of stern hydraulic systems during the second round of sea acceptance trials on June 26, and sailors were forced to manually operate the X-rudder to turn the submarine and return to port, news Web site Mirror Daily reported yesterday.
The report said that tugboats following the Hai Kun assisted the submarine in avoiding collisions with other ships due to the X-rudder malfunctioning.
At the time of the report, the submarine had completed its trials and was scheduled to begin diving and surfacing tests in shallow areas.
Photo courtesy of CSBC Corp
The X-rudder, named for its four diagonally configured fins, is a control system that delivers superior maneuverability, stealth and operational efficiency.
In response to media queries for comment on the Mirror Daily report, Navy Command Headquarte yesterday said the prototype’s testing was aimed at identifying issues and resolving them through system improvements and fine-tuning.
The Hai Kun can be operated in fully automatic, semi-automatic or fully manual modes, headquarters said, adding the handling of the mechanical failure on June 26 was in line with protocol and well within safety parameters.
The issues were addressed after the boat returned to port and have not recurred since that incident, it added.
Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) during a press conference on Wednesday said that development for the Hai Kun project was at least two months behind schedule.
The submarine has been moved to the CSBC Corp shipyard in Kaohsiung as of Friday last week to undergo final calibration and equipment checks before diving and surfacing tests, Chiu said.
The navy is keeping a close eye on the submarine’s status and is subjecting the vessel to rigorous tests before green-lighting the submarine’s diving and surfacing tests, he said.
CSBC is being fined for each day late the boat is delivered, beginning last month, with the total penalty deducted from the final payout, Chiu said, adding that the project is progressing and that everyone working on it is doing their best.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS