Taiwan Achieves Milestone with Launch of First Home-Built Submarine

Taiwan has officially unveiled its first domestically built submarine, marking a significant milestone for the island nation. Named the Haikun, or “Narwhal” in English, the submarine was showcased at a ceremony in Kaohsiung. This is the first of eight submarines ordered, and it will begin sea trials next month before being delivered to the fleet by the end of 2024.

While Taiwan’s submarine fleet may not be able to stop a potential invasion from China due to the unsuitability of the Taiwan Straits for underwater warfare, it could pose challenges for any Chinese naval blockade. President Tsai Ing-wen expressed the importance of the submarine in enhancing self-sufficiency in defense and protecting Taiwan’s territorial waters.

The success of Taiwanese shipyard CSBC in overcoming engineering challenges and delivering the submarine two years ahead of schedule has surprised skeptics. It is believed that several countries, including Australia, Canada, India, Israel, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S., have provided technological or material assistance to Taiwan’s submarine program.

In attendance at the unveiling ceremony was Susan Oudkirk, the de facto U.S. envoy to Taiwan. This submarine project is the second major defense program ordered by President Tsai, who leans towards independence from mainland China. The first program involves indigenous jet trainer aircraft and is expected to be deployed in 2025.

China, which has increased military intimidation of Taiwan in recent months, claims to be unimpressed by the development of Taiwan’s submarine. Chinese state-controlled website the Global Times dismissed Taiwan’s submarine deployment plan as daydreaming and declared that China already has an anti-submarine network around the island.

Analysts familiar with Taiwan’s defense industry have reason to believe that the new submarines could prove effective. While Taiwan is known for building ships well, the specific weapons suite on board the submarines has not been disclosed.

The submarine program has faced controversy in Taiwan due to its estimated $16 billion price tag. Some argue that Taiwan would be better served by acquiring asymmetric capabilities. However, the program carries importance from a national pride perspective and highlights Taiwan’s ability to achieve major endeavors when determined.

Keywords: Taiwan, home-built submarine, military, defense, naval, China, cross-Taiwan Straits, technology, engineering, sea trials, fleet, weapons, shipyard, sovereignty