Taiwan's first homegrown submarine, Hai Kun (海鯤號), headed back out to sea Tuesday for the most consequential stretch of its trial program yet — a live torpedo-firing test that must be completed before a U.S. equipment lease runs out at the end of May.
A source close to the program told Storm Media the outing marks the final preparations before Hai Kun fires a live exercise torpedo for the first time, a test that will show whether the submarine's weapons systems actually work. The exercise torpedo system was leased from the United States, and with the lease expiring this month, the Navy and state-owned shipbuilder Taiwan International Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) are running out of time.
Early Crowds, Quiet Departure
By 7:00 a.m., military enthusiasts had already staked out spots along the harbor, cameras ready. Water police circled steadily inside the port. About 20 minutes later, Hai Kun eased away from the dock, flanked by Marine Corps assault boats and trailed by a tugboat.
At the harbor mouth, the support vessels turned back one by one — tugboat, water police craft, and CSBC unmanned boats all peeling away — until only two assault boats remained, accompanying Hai Kun as it headed out to open water.
Nearly Two Months at Dock — Then a Presidential Inspection
Tuesday marked the submarine's first time at sea since March 12 — a gap of nearly two months. During that stretch, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) paid a personal visit to the vessel on March 19, touring its interior: crew bunks, emergency medical facilities, and the onboard dining and recreation area.
A source familiar with the trial schedule told Storm Media that dive depth testing has been progressing steadily and is now in its final stage, with the remaining target depths expected to be completed within days. The live torpedo launch — the big one — is planned for mid-to-late May.
Will This Be the Test That Defines Hai Kun?
The pressure is not just operational — it is contractual. Vice Admiral Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮), now commander of the Fleet Command, told legislators in a previous session that the U.S. lease on the exercise torpedo system runs from May 2025 to May 2026. He said he was confident the test would be completed in time.
When lawmaker Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) pressed him on what would happen if May came and went without a successful test — would the equipment simply be sent back to Washington? — Chiu said the military would do everything possible to avoid that outcome, and that an extension could be negotiated if needed. Whether any such request has been made remains unconfirmed.
Can Taiwan Hit the Deadline Before the U.S. Lease Runs Out?
The current lease arrangement means this month is the effective operational deadline. Should the Navy and CSBC fail to carry out the torpedo firing test before the end of May, the timeline would exceed the agreed lease period. Whether the two sides have begun coordinating a potential extension — or whether the equipment faces an early return to the United States — has not been confirmed by either party.
Why Does Taiwan's First Homegrown Submarine Matter?
Hai Kun is not just another naval vessel. Launched in September 2023 after years of closely guarded development, it is Taiwan's first domestically built submarine and a symbol of the island's push to strengthen its own defenses amid relentless military pressure from China.
A successful torpedo firing this month would be the clearest sign yet that Hai Kun is ready to serve — and that Taiwan's submarine program has cleared its highest remaining hurdle.
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