Taiwan submarine conducts first sea trial tests: Shipbuilder

Taipei, June 18 (CNA) Taiwan's first indigenous submarine, known as the Narwhal or Hai Kun, completed a series of tests Tuesday on its first day of sea trials just outside the Port of Kaohsiung, its builder said late that night.

CSBC Corp., Taiwan said in a statement that a series of tests involving the submarine's propulsion, rudder, electricity, communication and navigation systems were conducted during its first day of floating navigation tests.

The shipbuilder said it would now fine-tune these systems accordingly based on the test results before moving on to the next stage of the submarine's sea trials that will require the vessel to be fully submerged at increasing depths, the statement said.

According to CSBC, the three stages of a submarine's sea trials are floating navigation, shallow depth testing, and gradual depth increase testing.

In shallow depth testing, the submarine submerges to a shallow depth to test basic systems.

During gradual depth increase tests, the submarine submerges further, testing systems at different pressures and depths to make sure the sub will meet its combat needs, it said.

Each of the three stages will feature several trials and adjustments to related systems.

Aside from the shipbuilder, Taiwan's Navy and technicians involved with the parts and systems used in the prototype, also took part in Tuesday's trial, CSBC said.

The statement confirmed what an unnamed military source told CNA earlier in the day -- that the Narwhal had officially moved into sea trials after completing harbor acceptance tests, despite suffering from several delays.

According to the original timeline set by the Ministry of National Defense, the Narwhal's sea trials were supposed to begin in April and be completed by Sept. 30 to meet a November delivery deadline.

Without directly confirming the delay, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) told CNA in an interview last month that the sea trials for the Narwhal would only proceed once all safety requirements are fully met.

Even earlier, program convener Huang Shu-kuang (黃曙光) said in September 2023, when the submarine prototype was first unveiled at a photo op, that the submarine could be delivered to the Navy before the end of 2024, a forecast that proved far too optimistic.

Despite the delayed start to the sea trials, Navy Chief of Staff Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) said Tuesday that the contractual deadline for the submarine to be delivered to the Navy in November remained unchanged.