Taiwan is forging ahead with its ambitious submarine program, aiming to bolster its defense capabilities amidst escalating tensions with China.
The cabinet approved the $8.88 billion budget on Thursday, with plans to present it to legislators for review later this month.
While analysts acknowledged that the move demonstrated Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s commitment to defending the island, they called the administration “irresponsible” for greenlighting the project before the submarine prototype had undergone sea trials.
Cabinet spokesman Chen Shih-kai announced that the submarines will be constructed between 2025 and 2038 as part of the Indigenous Defence Submarine Programme.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to strengthening national defense, promoting indigenous production of vessels and aircraft, and ensuring Taiwan’s resilience and sovereignty in the Indo-Pacific region.
Combat-ready Hai Kun submarine to feature US tech and MK-48 torpedoes
The Hai Kun submarine, named by former president Tsai Ing-wen, was officially unveiled in Kaohsiung last September. Tsai highlighted the achievement as proof of Taiwan’s ability to accomplish “an impossible task.”
Built by CSBC Corporation Taiwan, the diesel-electric powered submarine cost around NT$26 billion ($818 million) and was ordered shortly after Tsai took office in 2016.
It is equipped with an X-shaped rudder for shallow water operations and additional small horizontal fins. Currently being prepared for combat, the submarine will feature a Lockheed Martin combat system and US-made MK-48 heavyweight torpedoes, according to Admiral Huang Shu-kuang, who leads the submarine building program, the South China Morning Postreports.
Taiwanese Defence Minister Wellington Koo said the submarine prototype was nearing completion of its harbor acceptance test, with sea trials to follow. Local reports suggest the first sea trial will take place next month, and the submarine is expected to be delivered by November next year. The expansion of Taiwan’s submarine fleet comes as tensions between Beijing and Taipei have escalated in recent years.
During a visit to the submarine construction in March with Tsai, before assuming office, Lai pledged support for the program and aimed to build seven more submarines.
Analysts believe this fleet would significantly boost Taiwan’s ability to counter PLA forces at sea. The approval of the budget highlights the government’s commitment to defending Taiwan, according to Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst at the Institute for National Defence and Security Research.
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Submarines seen as key deterrent against potential PLA attacks
Unlike Beijing’s increasingly aggressive stance, Su clarified that Taiwan’s submarine program is not aimed at competing in an arms race but at protecting the island’s way of life. He described the submarines as one of Taiwan’s asymmetric weapons to deter potential PLA attacks.
Su further emphasized that, alongside ground-based and ship-launched missiles, a submarine fleet could create cross-domain deterrence, effectively countering sea and amphibious assaults from the PLA.
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Bojan Stojkovski Bojan Stojkovski is a freelance journalist based in Skopje, North Macedonia, covering foreign policy and technology for more than a decade. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, ZDNet, and Nature.
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