TAIWAN: On Thursday, Taiwan revealed its inaugural domestically produced submarine, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to bolster defence capabilities and deter potential threats from the Chinese navy, though it won’t be operational for another two years.
Taiwan, which China asserts is part of its territory, has prioritised the development of indigenous submarines as a vital component of its broader plan to modernise its armed forces in response to China’s frequent military exercises aimed at asserting control in the region.
President Tsai Ing-wen, who launched the project upon assuming office in 2016, unveiled the first of eight new submarines on Thursday in Kaohsiung, a southern city.
“In the past, a domestically developed submarine was considered an impossible task. But, today, a submarine designed and manufactured by our country’s people sits before our eyes,” Tsai stated, stressing that it will be crucial to enhancing the navy’s capacity for “asymmetric warfare.”
Taiwan must take this action, and for the self-reliant national defence policy to develop and bloom on our territory despite the risks and difficulties that may arise, Tsai stated while standing before the ship named the Narwhal and draped with Taiwan’s red flag, featuring a white sun against a blue sky.
Tsai mentioned that the Narwhal is scheduled to become operational in 2025, supplementing the two submarines acquired from the Netherlands in the 1980s.
The indigenous submarine programme has tapped into expertise and technology from various nations, marking a significant achievement for diplomatically isolated Taiwan.
Cheng Wen-lon, who heads CSBC Corp. (2208.TW), the company responsible for overseeing submarine construction, noted that the domestically sourced components for the submarine amounted to approximately 40%. During his speech in Kaohsiung, he did not explicitly address any foreign involvement.
Highlighting the significance of the security partnership between the United States and Taiwan, even in the absence of official diplomatic relations, Sandra Oudkirk, the de facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan, was present at the ceremony. The United States holds the distinction of being Taiwan’s primary arms supplier.
Speaking to journalists in Taipei, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu stated that the nation needed to fortify its defences due to the growing threat posed by China’s military “grey zone” pressure tactics, which involve air and naval operations near the island.
One of those initiatives, according to Wu, is the purchase of a new submarine. Wu remarked that anyone who challenges Taiwan’s submarine strategy, he would be a staunch champion for Taiwan to obtain submarines because they are required to prevent war.
It aims to have a minimum of two domestically developed submarines in operation by 2027 and is considering the possibility of outfitting future models with missiles, as stated by the program’s leader earlier this month.
The inaugural submarine, valued at T$49.36 billion ($1.53 billion), will be equipped with a combat system from Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT.N.) and will carry U.S.-made Mark 48 heavyweight torpedoes. It is scheduled for sea trials next month and is expected to be delivered to the navy by the end of 2024.
Admiral Huang Shu-kuang, Tsai’s security adviser leading the programme, has called the submarines a “strategic deterrent” that can help keep Taiwan’s “lifeline” to the Pacific open by preserving the opening of ports along the island’s eastern coast.
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