Taiwan has sought submarines in the West to help protect it from China—but because of economic pressure on those nations from Beijing, it was forced to build its own.

Taiwan’s first Indigenous Defense Submarine passed a significant milestone last week. The Hai Kun (SS-711) completed its initial underwater sea trial off the southern port city of Kaohsiung. 

Hai Kun’s First Sea Trials a Success, Observers Say

Taiwanese state-owned shipbuilder CSBC Corporation confirmed that the Hai Kun had successfully conducted a shallow-water submerged navigation test, with further tests planned under the supervision of the Republic of China Navy (RoCN) and supported by foreign technical advisers.

The Hai Kun is the first of an expected class of eight submarines meant to modernize Taiwan’s undersea deterrent capabilities. The first sea trials come amid heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing, with the latter viewing the self-governing island as a breakaway province that will be returned to mainland control, by force if necessary.

Taipei has stated that it aims to have the first two domestically built submarines in service by the end of 2027. Details on the capabilities remain sparse, but the Hai Kun is known to be equipped with a Lockheed Martin combat system and armed with US-made Mk48 Mod 6 heavyweight torpedoes and tube-launched UGM-84L Harpoon missiles.

The boat is estimated to displace approximately 2,500 tonnes (2,755 tons), and is 70 meters (229.6 ft) in length. It is based on the older Hai Lung-class diesel-electric fast-attack submarines manufactured in the Netherlands for Taiwan, and on the Dutch Navy’s Zwaardvis-class (itself based on the US Barbel-class).

Taiwan Wanted a Submarine—and Had to Build One Itself

SS-711 was the first Taiwanese submarine to be completed in a specially-built 35,000-ton floating dry dock. It was just under a year ago that the boat was transferred from the construction hall to the floating dry dock, followed by the Harbor Acceptance Trials, which included critical watertight, weight distribution, ballast, and stability control tests of the boat’s hull.

In the second phase of the Harbor Acceptance Trial, the Hai Kun completed propulsion system and subsystem checks, calibration, and follow-on installation of batteries and various Mast Raising Equipment, including the Optronics, ESM, Radar, and Communication Masts.

As an island nation with a much larger potential adversary just 80 miles away, Taiwan has recognized the need for submarines to counter an amphibious assault. The RoCN has maintained a small fleet of aging submarines while seeking to acquire more modern vessels for years.

However, due to political pressure from Beijing, Taipei has faced extraordinary challenges in finding foreign submarine suppliers, even among the Western nations. As a result, it has set out to build its own. As part of these efforts, Taiwan designed and built a new shipyard in Kaohsiung, where it quietly recruited experts and gathered technology from around the world. It began constructing a fleet of eight modern conventionally-powered attack submarines earlier this decade.

This does not mean that international assistance was not forthcoming. Though Taiwan has invested significantly in building the subs, the Hai Kun program has also drawn on an international coalition that has provided technical expertise and components. That included the hiring of engineers, technicians, and former naval officers from several countries, including Australia, South Korea, India, Spain, and Canada, to bolster its domestic submarine program.

Although the United States and the UK would not sell a completed boat to Taiwan—in part because each has only nuclear-powered submarines and no longer build diesel-electric boats to begin with—both nations have provided technology, including combat system components and sonar arrays.

Taipei’s efforts are now paying off, with the Hai Kun significantly increasing the capabilities of the RoCN.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

Image: Flickr / Taiwan Presidential Office.

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