According to Global Network quoted reports from the island’s media, Taiwan’s military insiders said that Taiwan’s first “self-made submarine” has entered a stable period and is scheduled to be launched in September 2023.
Taiwan's "self-made submarine" plan started on December 21, 2016. After nearly four years of budget preparation, contract signing, planning and drawing, and construction of factory buildings, the construction period started on May 3, 2019 in accordance with the construction contract. 78 months. Construction officially started on November 24, 2020. The goal is to launch the prototype ship in the third quarter of 2024. Various sea trials will be carried out after 2025, and eventually 8 to 10 2500-ton to 3000-ton submarines will be built. Comprehensively replace the old Type 2 diesel-electric submarines such as the US-made "Gambi class" and even the Dutch-made "Stegorya class" that have been in service for many years.
On November 16, 2021, Taiwan’s first independently built conventional submarine began laying the keel. This type of boat is about 70 meters long, 8 meters wide, 18 meters high, with a displacement of 2,500-3,000 tons. It uses an "X-shaped" stern rudder. It is planned to build 8 boats, of which the total budget for the construction of prototype boats is nearly 50 billion yuan. Taiwan dollar.
In fact, Taiwan’s self-made submarine has a very important background. This project was originally intended to be quickly introduced through procurement during Chen Shui-bian’s period, but because no one was willing to sell to Taiwan (and no country dared to sell), so in the end You can only make it yourself. This kind of project that bites the bullet and pretends to be fat is actually inherently deficient.
It is understood that the systems and equipment required for the construction of this type of boat are divided into three categories: "red zone", "yellow zone" and "green zone". Among them, the "red zone" refers to systems and equipment that the station itself has no development capabilities and needs to seek external assistance, including combat integration systems, digital sonar systems, periscope and other auxiliary equipment systems. According to local media reports in March 2021, some of the "red zone" systems required for the boat have been approved for sale by the United States.
This also reveals that Taiwan's so-called "independently built" submarines are actually very dependent on foreign countries. According to previous reports from Reuters , seven countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, Spain, Canada, and India will provide assistance including technology, parts, and personnel during the construction of submarines in Taiwan. .
Among them, the United States has the greatest support for submarine construction in Taiwan. Key technologies, diesel engines, combat systems, digital sonar , periscope systems, torpedo launch systems and torpedoes , etc., will all be provided by the United States.
Britain plays the role of "human resources" in submarine construction. London is mainly responsible for assisting in recruiting engineers, retired submariners, workers and other manpower from India and other countries. The website of the Indian National Defense Research Institute also previously reported in a high-profile manner on December 2, 2021 that Indian experts will participate in the construction of Taiwan's first self-made submarine.
I have to say that the "courage" of the Taiwan authorities is really great. According to statistics, India has accounted for 9 of the 44 submarine accidents in the world since 2000, ranking second. India's own military-industrial strength is truly unflattering, and its submarine construction and maintenance capabilities are even more worrisome. It is estimated that India's main purpose of "helping" Taiwan build submarines is to take the opportunity to practice.
In addition, when Taiwan was building its own submarines, it was also riddled with scandals.
In June this year, Yonhap News Agency reported that a South Korean shipbuilding company was suspected of leaking related technologies related to submarine construction to Taiwan, and the representatives of the companies involved in the matter were currently wanted in Taiwan. This commercial espionage scandal involves the Democratic Progressive Party authorities' "self-made submarines." From this South Korean commercial espionage case, it can be seen that the Taiwan military's key shipbuilding technology is still controlled by others.
In addition to the South Korean espionage case, the head of Taiwan's defense department has also publicly admitted that "self-built submarines" are now encountering many problems. Even the Taiwanese shipbuilding company that undertook the construction did not deny that it encountered serious bottlenecks, with insufficient design manpower and equipment being unable to be produced as scheduled. There are endless problems such as infighting between factories and manufacturers. Even due to black box operations, downstream contractors regard it as a big fat sheep. A toilet originally priced at only NT$80,000 was quoted at US$80,000, with a price difference of up to 30 times.
Taiwan's "self-made submarine" plan was not optimistic from the beginning. Even if it was completed in a hurry despite all difficulties, without the support of advanced weapons, communications, satellites and other peripheral equipment, it would be nothing more than a vulnerable iron coffin. The cost of R&D and construction alone is a sky-high price. If you add in the subsequent maintenance costs, it will be many times more expensive than buying a brand new submarine. To put it bluntly, "self-building a submarine" is a bad show of "looking at the plum blossom to quench the thirst". It was neither well-received nor popular. The biggest effect is probably to satisfy Tsai Ing-wen's great success. Under the powerful combat power of the People's Liberation Army, Tsai Ing-wen's efforts are just a mantis trying to use her arms as a chariot. There is no point in resisting and it can only increase the economic burden on the people of Taiwan.
