Taiwan's first domestically-built submarine, the Hai Kun, recently completed its surface navigation tests, with the manufacturing company stating that the vessel will soon proceed to underwater trials.
However, several adverse reports about the submarine have claimed that the vessel lacks an anchor, only has one main engine installed, and has a manual-only X-rudder. Such problems have left both the company and the navy frustrated, fueled public speculation, and drawn repeated inquiries from Taiwanese legislators. These have been exacerbated by the drawn-out timeline of the project, which began construction in 2020.
Delayed by holidays
Where does progress on the submarine's construction stand now? A source told Storm Media that many technical issues have already been resolved and that the vessel is nearing completion.
TheHai Kun completed its fifth sea surface trial on November 28, with Taiwan Shipbuilding stating that all evaluations meet expected targets.
Under its original contract timeline, the Hai Kun was scheduled to be operational by November 2025.The company now faces a contractual daily fine of NT$190,000 until the vessel is ready, with remaining problems awaiting the return of international technicians on holiday, and estimates of the earliest possible date for underwater trials around mid-to-late January.
To prevent China from stealing acoustic signature data during underwater testing, sources report that underwater reconnaissance and anti-submarine units will be deployed three days before the tests, with air and surface escort forces providing security.
Progress at 99%
The source stated that the submarine is almost 99% complete, with only a final inspection by foreign technicians necessary before shallow underwater tests begin.
While previous reports suggested international experts were unwilling to board the vessel, the source stressed their presence aboard every sea outing to provide real-time training for Taiwanese personnel on board the vessel, with personnel rotating on the ship over working around the clock to adjust equipment.
The source commented that current progress is satisfactory, with a delay of only a few months, much shorter than the years of delays experienced by other countries building asubmarine for the first time.
Should submarine construction continue?
The necessity of building expensivediesel-electric submarines in Taiwan's push for asymmetric warfare is debated,with a faction within the Taiwanese navy insisting that they are the most effective defense against surface ships and past simulations showing that a single torpedo can sink a ship.
However, opponents of the plan may include the United States, on the grounds that such vessels must surface to recharge their batteries in an extremely noisy fashion, arguably making them easier to detect and track by drones.
Although a barrage of criticism has been directed at the Hai Kun submarine—so much so that even many military personnel now feel uneasy whenever they hear the name—informed observers note that Taiwan's high-speed rail project was also once widely dismissed and criticized, yet today it is something people rely on heavily. They believe theHai Kun will follow a similar path: once it is successfully built, the negative voices will naturally fade.
Looking ahead, the Hai Kun is about to officially enter the water. Whether the Navy and CSBC Corporation can withstand the pressure will have implications not only for Taiwan but also for broader geopolitical developments.
