TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Legislative Yuan will begin its new session on Friday (Sept. 20), focusing on reviewing the central government's annual budget. A primary area of attention will be the budget allocated for the indigenous submarine program.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) announced on Wednesday that the first Hai Kun-class submarine (海鯤艦) will start its sea trials in late March or early April of next year, aiming to complete them by the end of September. Despite the trials, the submarine remains on track for delivery by November, as per the contract.
However, the completion of the Hai Kun project has been delayed by four years, extending it to 2029. Koo attributed this delay to the phased delivery of MK-48 Mod 6 torpedoes, which has impacted the timeline. Navy Chief of Staff Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) added that international conflicts and supply chain disruptions have caused the U.S. to inform Taiwan of this phased approach, resulting in the extension.
Koo pointed out that the NT$284 billion budget for the submarine program includes various costs such as construction, port and training facilities, crew accommodations, project offices, and weapon systems. He stressed the importance of allocating the budget before completing the sea trials to ensure contracts are secured, skilled personnel are retained, and export licenses are available.
The subsequent mass production of submarines will be overseen by the Navy Project Office (海軍專案辦公室), which will ensure continuity despite potential changes in personnel. Chiu mentioned that a supervisory team, led by the Commander and including the Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, is managing the submarine project’s timeline and budget within the Navy and the Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部).
Chiu also revealed that by 2027, Taiwan plans to present a comprehensive strategy for a submarine rescue vessel. The country has already established mutual rescue agreements with its allied nations.
