DEFENSE / On-time delivery of prototype sub 'extremely challenging': Defense chief

Taipei, Oct. 13 (CNA) Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said Monday that it would be "extremely challenging" for a local shipbuilder to meet the November deadline for the delivery of an indigenous submarine prototype.

"We still have full confidence that the submarine will be successfully built, but the necessary tests and fine-tuning will take time," Koo told reporters, when asked about the progress of the prototype, known as the Narwhal or Hai Kun (海鯤).

Sept. 17: Contractor says submarine will not complete sea trials on time

Right now, pre-sea trial tests are being conducted on the prototype, he said on the sidelines of a closed-door session of the Legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee session, at which lawmakers were briefed on the latest developments in the Hai Kun project.

Given the early stages of the testing, it will be "extremely challenging" for the builder to deliver Taiwan's first indigenous submarine by the November deadline, Koo said.

After the legislative session, the Navy issued a statement, saying that the prototype trials so far have consisted of three rounds at shallow depths only.

The Navy also said it is working closely with the prototype builder, CSBC Corp., Taiwan, on the Hai Kun's power management system and its integrated platform management system.

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

In shallow-depth testing, the submarine submerges to a limited depth to test basic systems. During gradual-depth increase tests, the submarine submerges further, testing systems under varying pressures and depths to ensure it will meet its combat requirements, CSBC said.

Meanwhile, Koo said Monday that the planned development of a "T-dome" missile defense system, announced by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) during his National Day speech last Friday, is meant to integrate Taiwan's existing drone, radar, and anti-missile systems.

The goal is to build a highly efficient, multi-layered interception web that will be more effective against enemy missiles and aircraft, he told reporters.

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

Under the Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) project, a second submarine is scheduled to be built by 2027.

The goal is to ensure that Taiwan's Navy has a total of four submarines by 2027 -- the Hai Kun prototype, a second IDS, and the two existing Chien Lung-class (Sword Dragon) submarines purchased from the Netherlands in the 1980s.

Taiwan also has two World War II vintage submarines purchased from the United States in the 1970s, but they are now being used exclusively for training purposes.