The eight diesel-electric submarines that the US has promised to get for Taiwan will cost between US$8.6 billion (NT$301 billion) and US$11.7 billion (NT$409 billion), a US naval delegation visiting Taiwan said yesterday.
The cost would depend on the tonnage of the submarines -- either 1,500 tonnes or 2,000 tonnes -- a lawmaker who met with the US naval delegation said yesterday.
"The US delegation did not tell us what type of submarine it has found for us. But we insist that the submarines not be built in Spain," said People First Party Legislator Lin Yu-fang (
Lin, one of the lawmakers who attended a closed-door meeting with the US naval delegation yesterday, quoted the delegation as saying that the US hopes to see Taiwan's legislature pass by next July the navy's budget request for the submarines in the form of special budget.
As to whether some of the submarines could be built locally by the state-run China Shipbuilding Corp, Lin said the delegation did not give a straight answer.
"They just said they will let China Shipbuilding play a part in the business," Lin said.
The delegation also revealed a list of four main contractors for the provision of weapons systems for the submarines.
They list includes General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
Missing from the picture is the company that will provide the blueprint for the submarine.
Lin's comment suggests Spain is being considered by the US for the provision of the submarines.
Spain had sent a delegation in recent months to Taiwan to brief authorities on the type of submarine it could provide, anonymous defense sources said.
Germany and Italy are also in the running for the contract.
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