DEFENSE/Lawmakers agree on domestic submarine prototype budget

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Lawmakers across party lines agreed on a budget proposal for the building of an indigenous submarine prototype despite the fact that opposition lawmakers had previously threatened to slash the budget.

During a Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee session to review the Ministry of National Defense's (MND) budget proposal for fiscal year 2025, lawmakers reached a consensus on not cutting the NT$584.95 million (US$17.99 million) budget slated for the Narwhal, Taiwan's first domestically-built submarine prototype.

Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) lawmakers originally threatened to slash the budget proposal, citing delays in the project. KMT lawmaker Wang Wen-chun (馬文君) said the Narwhal has suffered serious delays.

Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been supportive of the budget proposal, arguing that building indigenous submarines as soon as possible is crucial for national defense in the face of a potential Chinese invasion.

The Narwhal was unveiled in Kaohsiung in September last year and has currently completed about 80 percent of its harbor acceptance tests (HAT). The following sea acceptance test (SAT) is expected to begin in April 2025 and conclude by October, before meeting the delivery deadline in November next year, according to the MND.

After a lengthy discussions, lawmakers reached a consensus during Wednesday's legislative session to not cut nor freeze the budget for the Narwhal in fiscal year 2025.

Instead they passed a resolution urging the MND to ensure the prototype meets required safety standards and indicating the ministry cannot use the budget until the SAT begins.

Other than the Narwhal prototype, the MND has also proposed building seven indigenous submarines from 2025 to 2038 at an estimated cost of NT$284 billion.

Wednesday's committee session was only a preliminary review of MND budget. The budget proposal still needs to clear the Legislative Yuan before taking effect.