The Navy celebrated the 63rd birthday of its oldest vessel -- the Guppy-class SS-791 Sea Lion submarine -- last Thursday.
The SS-791 was not only celebrating its 63rd birthday, but also its 34th year of service in the Navy. Along with the SS-792 Seal, the SS-791 is one of two existing "miracles" in the navy, as it is the oldest submarine still in service.
As part of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the US and the Republic of China (台美協防條約), in 1970 the US gave the SS-791 and SS-792 to the Taiwanese Navy -- after serving 28 years in the US Navy.
PHOTO: CNA
In 1973, Captain Kuan Chen-ching (
During the ceremony last Thursday, Rear Admiral Wang Hsi-ling (汪希苓), Taiwan's military attache to the US who oversaw the arrangement in the 1970s, officially accepted the two vessels on behalf of Taiwan.
With old piping, big knobs and rudders, old panels, limited space and the pervasive oil smell, the interior of the submarine is strikingly reminiscent of scenes from World War II movies. Sonars and torpedo systems complete the experience.
Among the 75 sailors on board, only the captain enjoys a private room -- and it is smaller than one ping. Everybody else, including the first officer, shares a public room for sleep. Regular meals are provided by a kitchen approximately two pings in size. It takes more than an hour for everybody on board to finish their meal as only 20 people can fit in the dining room at any given time.
With its 5,200 horsepower diesel engine, the SS-791 was initially capable of completing a non-stop 8,350km trip in approximately 45 days. Top speed under water was 12 knots and 16 knots on the surface.
A rumor that could have proven harmful to the navy's image and affect sailors' morale haunted the vessel since its acquisition, however. Some believed there was a real chance that after diving, the two Guppy-class subs would never resurface.
But SS-791 Warrant Officer Liu Tsai-hsin (劉財心) explained why the rumor never turned into reality.
"There is an air tank inside the vessel. When the submarine is on the surface, its entire weight is approximately 1,800 tonnes. When we need to dive, however, the air tank will take in 3,000 pounds [1,360kg] of air, turning the vessel into a 2,400-tonne rock. The system may be old, but it is reliable," Liu said.
Between 1944 and 1946, the US built 45 Tench-class submarines. Fourteen of those were upgraded to Guppy-class in 1950, including the SS-791.
Prior to joining the Taiwanese fleet, the SS-791 was known as the USS-478 Cutlass. It was built in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Main, and completed on Nov. 5, 1944.
The vessel was initially equipped with 10 torpedo launch tubes and sonar systems, with 11 officers and 70 petty officers and sailors.
But the US government's plan to help Taiwan's destroyer fleet conduct anti-submarine warfare resulted in the removal of all torpedo systems from the sub before it was handed over.
After it came into service, the Navy tried to restore its torpedo capability, but its indigenous system never reached optimal operability and the SS-791 was eventually allocated for training purposes.
The Navy's Fleet 256 chief of staff Rear Admiral Yang Yi (楊木益) believes the SS-791 can still make a contribution to the training of the Navy's next generation of officers.
"It is a tough environment for future naval officers to grow in. It is small, old and slow," Yang said. "But, the vessel itself is truly a legend."
Although it is the oldest submarine in service, many contemporary high-ranking naval officers have served on board the SS-791, including Minister of National Defense Lee Jye (李傑), Deputy General-Chief-of-Staff Admiral Wang Li-shen (王立申) and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Lieutenant General Shen Po-chi (申伯之).
Lee was a lieutenant commander when the SS-791 was given to Taiwan and was also the first weapons chief on board the Sea Lion. He later became the third captain of the SS-791.
After new submarines are acquired by the Navy, the Ministry of National Defense will retire the SS-791 and the SS-792. Navy enthusiasts expect the two vessels will be restored after they retire and hope one will be used for training purposes at the Naval Academy while the other will be ported and turned into a museum.
SEND A MESSAGE: Sinking the amphibious assault ship, the lead warship of its class, is meant to show China the US Navy is capable of sinking their ships, an analyst said The US and allied navies plan to sink a 40,000-tonne ship at the latest Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise to simulate defeating a Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan. This year’s RIMPAC — the 29th iteration of the world’s largest naval exercise — involves the US, 28 partners, more than 25,000 personnel, 40 warships, three submarines and more than 150 aircraft operating in and around Hawaii from yesterday to Aug. 1, the US Navy said in a press release. The major components of the event include multidomain warfare exercises in multiship surface engagements, anti-submarine warfare and multi-axis defense of a carrier strike
Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China when traveling in countries with close ties to Beijing, Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said on Friday. Chen’s comments came after China on Friday last week announced new judicial guidelines targeting Taiwanese independence advocates. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Djibouti are among the countries where Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China, he said. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday elevated the travel alert for China, Hong Kong and Macau to “orange” after Beijing announced its guidelines to “severely punish Taiwanese independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession.” Extradition treaties
The airspace around Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) is to be closed for an hour on July 25 and July 23 respectively, due to the Han Kuang military exercises, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The annual exercise is to be held on Taiwan proper and its outlying islands from July 22 to 26. During last year’s exercise, the military conducted anti-aircraft landing drills at the Taoyuan airport for the first time, for which a one-hour no-fly ban was issued. Based on a live-fire bulletin sent out by the Maritime and Port Bureau, the nation’s
Taiwan and Thailand have signed an agreement to promote and protect bilateral investment and trade, the Executive Yuan’s Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) said on Friday. The agreement on “Promotion and Protection of Investments” was signed by Representative to Thailand Chang Chun-fu (張俊福) and Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei executive director Narong Boonsatheanwong on Thursday, the OTN said in a news release. Thailand has become the fifth trading partner to sign an investment agreement with Taiwan since 2016, following earlier agreements with the Philippines, India, Vietnam and Canada, the OTN said. The deal marks a significant milestone in the development of