The navy’s Chien Lung-class submarines, the Hai Hu (海虎, Sea Tiger) and the Hai Lung (海龍, Sea Dragon), would undergo combat system trials next year, after upgrades to the Hai Hu are completed by the end of the year, military sources said yesterday.
The two submarines, bought from the Netherlands in the 1980s, have been undergoing combat system upgrades since 2018, which have cost NT$7.41 billion (US$231.78 million).
The changes to the Hai Hu include upgrading the submarine’s torpedo arsenal from AEG SUT 264 torpedoes to Mk-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology torpedoes, the sources said, but added that delivery of the new torpedoes had been delayed and now expected to arrive next year.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
The Hai Lung has already completed its upgrades.
Both submarines are to participate in major military exercises next year to assess their upgraded combat capabilities, sources said.
The overhaul also replaces the original Dutch-made systems with a combat system jointly developed by Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, and Lockheed Martin, which would significantly improve the submarines’ target acquisition and tracking capabilities, the sources said.
The submarines’ sonar, electronic support measures and guidance radar systems were also upgraded, enhancing stealth and situational awareness, they added.
Maintenance work included removing corrosion from torpedo tubes, and repainting and replacing key components to extend service life, the sources said.
In related news, President William Lai (賴清德) on Thursday visited the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), prompting questions about whether the vessel could be delivered to the navy as early as June, as some analysts have suggested.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said the ministry is proceeding step by step, ensuring all testing is completed safely.
“We will not set an arbitrary delivery date,” he said.
Asked whether Lai would be invited to join a test dive, Koo said such decisions should be left up to experts, adding that trials require naval personnel, technical specialists and shipbuilder CSBC Corp personnel on board.
The navy’s other two submarines, the Hai Shih (海獅, Sea Lion) and the Hai Pao (海豹, Seal), would continue to be used for training purposes, he added.
Additional reporting by CNA and Reuters
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