TAIPEI (TVBS News) — According to reports, the Ministry of National Defense is preparing a special budget for constructing seven additional domestically-built submarines in the latter half of this year, exceeding NT＄300 billion.
The Ministry of National Defense said the seven submarines are "planned construction projects." A decision to proceed with construction can be made after the prototype ship undergoes a combat evaluation.
Currently, there has yet to be a budget established. The domestically designed and manufactured submarine is still under construction.
According to Su Tzu-yun, director of Strategic Resources at the National Defense and Security Research, "a submarine is considered a conventional asymmetric carrier, differing from the traditional concept of asymmetric force being viewed as precision ammunition."
"It holds a unique status as an investment in a submarine requires the enemy to expend seven times more cost to track it down," Su added.
Obtaining the equipment for submarines is difficult, and since Taiwan lacks experience in submarine construction, foreign aid is necessary.
Song Chao-wen, a senior advisory member of the National Defense and Security Research Center, explained that "the United States has decided to provide the sale of red zone and combat equipment. "
Song added: "Combat equipment, considered critical to the survival of submarines, boasts a long range and significant power. The equipment comes in two forms, the MK48 torpedo and the Harpoon missile, a submarine-launched missile."
Su noted that "the total cost of building conventional submarines in other countries is comparable to that of Taiwan, estimated to be between US1.3 billion and US1.4 billion, equivalent to NT40 to NT50 billion."
"However, the most significant aspect is the retention of this technological expertise within Taiwan, which is a valuable asset for engineers, high-tech construction workers, and others," Su continued.
A challenge that lies ahead is the battery selection. The prototype currently uses lead-acid batteries, while the domestically-built submarine plans to adopt lithium batteries, which are known to be unstable and prone to explosions upon impact.