Taiwan’s Narwhal: First domestically developed submarine debuts
・Taiwanese submarine construction, history and challenges
・In the future, 8 Narwhal class ships will be built
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Submarine launching ceremony:
・Taiwan’s first independently developed and built submarine
In September 2023, the Narwhal (=Hai Kun) launching ceremony was held in Kaohsiung City.
President Tsai Ing-wen widely appeals to Taiwan to improve its defense capabilities.
Number of submarines in Taiwan:
・Taiwan currently has 4 submarines.
Two Gapi II-class ships: Built in the 1940s and delivered to Taiwan in 1973.
Two vessels from the Netherlands and Kairyu: In the late 1980s, two Zvartfis class vessels were adopted.
In 2016, the Democratic Progressive Party’s Tsai Ing-wen administration began full-scale efforts to build submarines.
Narwhal launched this time:
the current. The ship is currently being inspected while anchored in Kaohsiung.
It is scheduled to sail out of the bay in 2024 for sea trials.
Apparently, they are already planning to start construction of the second ship.
Democratic Party government:
In the future, a total of 8 Narwhal-class submarines will be built.
This time, Taiwan’s independent development and construction rate is expected to be 40%.
Background of submarine construction:
1. The Democratic Progressive Party government felt a sense of crisis in response to China’s increasing military power.
2. In 2015, when the Democratic Party was in the opposition party, it announced the “National Defense Policy Bluebook”.
Analysis of ‘independent construction of weapons including submarines’.
Details of the installed battery are unknown:
Initially, it was rumored that ‘Narwhal was equipped with LIB’.
Finally, there was information that it was equipped with a lead battery (= Diesel Electric).
Even if the first ship, Narwhal, adopts lead-acid batteries, this may change for the second ship and beyond.
The most powerful Mk-48Mod6AT:
Taiwan’s Narwhal is equipped with high-performance Mk-48Mod6AT large torpedoes.
Possesses the ability to sink large ships such as aircraft carriers and the latest landing ships.
‘Mod6’ is the same type used in Australia and the Netherlands.
Manufactured by Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation:
In the case of Japanese submarines, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries take turns building them every year.
Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation is the only company in charge of building Narwhal in Taiwan.
With two companies, even if an unexpected situation occurs with one company, the construction line is safe.
Need for submarines and rescue ships:
・Improvement of submarines and rescue ships is an important issue
Taiwan’s Dahu-class rescue ship is an old ship that is over 80 years old.
The successor ship is a 3250t class ship, but it is not a rescue ship exclusively for submarines.
The Great Lakes-class rescue ship basically rescues surface ships.
・Narwhal operation system with a fleet of 10 vessels
There is an urgent need to construct full-scale submarines and rescue ships and train their personnel.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/3aada1f1602f1bda16abd64ff286988e9ea41beb