Shipbuilder CSBC Corp, Taiwan is to conduct a series of final tests on the nation’s first domestically built “Narwhal” submarine prototype starting today as part of its ongoing harbor acceptance test (HAT) before it moves onto the sea acceptance test (SAT), a source said on Sunday.
Known as the Hai Kun (海鯤號) in Chinese, the submarine has been undergoing the HAT since October last year at a CSBC factory in Kaohsiung, the unnamed source familiar with the situation said.
The submarine was officially named by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) during its launch ceremony in late September.
Photo: Wu Su-wei, Taipei Times
The prototype was yesterday moved to the nearby Jong Shyn floating dock No. 8 for transfer to a dry dock where it is to undergo the final stage of the HAT, including an inclining test, the source said.
An inclining test is performed to determine a vessel’s stability and the coordinates of its center of gravity.
Only after successful completion of the HAT will the prototype move onto the SAT, the source added.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
A separate military source said that neither CSBC nor the navy had set a deadline of completing the SAT by May 20 — when Tsai leaves office — as some local media outlets have reported.
“We are not setting any timetable to complete the SAT. Everything is to be done by the book to ensure the prototype’s safety and quality,” the unnamed military source said.
The clarifications from the two unnamed sources came after multiple local news outlets reported that the recent establishment of the Jong Shyn floating dock No. 8 near Kaohsiung Harbor was to facilitate the Hai Kun’s SAT completion by May 20.
Admiral Huang Shu-kuang (黃曙光), convener of the nation’s Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) program responsible for the Hai Kun launch, had told local media that the prototype would complete the HAT and SAT before being delivered to the Navy at the end of this year.
After completing the required combat readiness tests by the navy, the Hai Kun would hopefully be commissioned into the navy next year, Huang said at the time.
The IDS program aims to build another domestic submarine by 2027.
The construction of the domestic submarines means the navy would have three combat-ready submarines by next year and four by 2027, including 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 US in the 1970s, but they are now used exclusively for training purposes.
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