Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment.
CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July.
The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program.
Photo: Hung Chen-hung, Taipei Times
Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense needs, he said, citing a US assessment.
Japan has 22 submarines, while South Korea has 20, he said.
The navy’s 256th Submarine Squadron currently operates four submarines, including the aging Hai Shih (海獅, Sea Lion) and the Hai Pao (海豹, Seal) — commissioned by the US Navy as the USS Cutlass in 1945 and the USS Tusk in 1946 respectively before being transferred to Taiwan in 1973, Chen said, adding that they are set to be retired.
The other two are the Dutch-built Chien Lung-class submarines, the Hai Lung (海龍, Sea Dragon) and the Hai Hu (海虎, Sea Tiger), commissioned in 1987 and 1988 respectively, he said.
The military plans to acquire more indigenous submarines to bolster the fleet in three phases under a “2-3-2” production plan, while the prototype Hai Kun remains in testing, he said.
Funding for the first batch of two vessels has already been approved and CSBC signed a contract with the navy last year, he said.
However, legislative budget freezes remain in place pending delivery of the prototype vessel, Chen said, adding that under the contract, the submarines are to be delivered within five years, and many components and systems must be ordered in advance from foreign suppliers.
While some onboard systems and equipment would not be identical, the design of the first two submarines would not differ significantly from the Hai Kun, he said.
In some cases, more cost-effective or better-performing products could be sourced, while differences in weight, dimensions and connectors between suppliers would require adjustments to systems and internal layouts, he said.
Major design revisions would likely not occur until later production batches, Chen added.
Taiwan sits at a strategic junction between the Strait of Malacca and northeast Asia, making the protection of maritime transportation routes and trade lifelines critically important, he said.
He highlighted the strategic importance of submarine ambush zones to counter the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) landing operations or blockades and prevent the PLA’s warships from transiting waters north and south of Taiwan.
Identifying critical zones in the waters off northeastern, southwestern and southern Taiwan, as well as a potential zone to the east, Chen said Taiwan would need at least three to four ambush zones, requiring at least four submarines to be deployed at the same time.
Most countries calculate submarine fleet sizes at about three times the number of operational boats required, as some vessels are deployed, some are used for training and others undergo maintenance, he said.
Even if only three submarines were required for active missions, the total fleet requirement would be nine or 10 vessels, he said, adding that the actual requirement would be more than 10 submarines.
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