The first prototype is named “Hai Kun”, which means “mythical sea creature” in Chinese, and was unveiled Thursday at a ceremony in the southern port city of Kaohsiung.
“History will forever remember this day,” declared Tsai, standing in front of the vessel draped in Taiwan’s flag colours.
“In the past, building submarines domestically was considered ‘Mission Impossible’. But today, a submarine designed and built by our own people is right in front of everyone – we did it,” she said.
Hai Kun measures 80m in length and has a displacement weight of about 2,500 to 3,000 tons, and has combat systems and torpedoes sourced from the US defence company Lockheed Martin.
It will now undergo sea trials, with Tsai saying Hai Kun would be operational by 2025 – though some defence analysts say it could take longer.
Taiwan’s navy currently has two working submarines – Swordfish-class vessels bought from the Netherlands in the 1980s.
Washington initially approved an offer in 2001 to supply eight conventional submarines, but the sale never materialised.
Over the same period, China has built itself one of the world’s largest navies, with nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.
Source: CNA
