TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's domestically built submarine Narwhal (海鯤號潛艦) launched its fourth sea trial Thursday (Nov. 27) from Kaohsiung Port (高雄港), alongside the operational debut of the Endeavor Manta USV (奮進魔鬼魚號無人船), a military-grade drone ship. Military enthusiasts and members of the public gathered at the port to witness the significant naval advancements. CSBC Corporation (台船) faces mounting daily fines of NT$190,000 (around US$6,090) for delivery delays extending beyond the November deadline.
Li-Hsiung Koo (顧立雄), Taiwan's Minister of National Defense, confirmed Thursday that CSBC Corporation (台船) faces daily fines of NT$190,000 (around US$6,090) for failing to deliver the Narwhal submarine by the end of November. The Navy's project team is actively assisting CSBC with critical task integration work. Technical focus remains on completing the Host and Power Management System (PMS) and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) before the submarine's operational deployment.
CSBC Corporation (台船) has increased its domestic software engineering workforce to expedite technical preparations before the submarine's deployment, company officials confirmed. Defense Minister Koo expressed hopes in the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's parliament, for conducting another sea trial in November to accelerate the overall delivery process. The Kaohsiung Port Second Harbor's real-time video feed, which previously broadcast the Narwhal's first sea trial June 17, remains suspended to ensure operational security during testing.
CSBC Corporation (台船) requested the temporary closure of the Hongmaogang Cultural Park's live video feed to prevent potential security risks during the submarine trials. The video feed froze at 11:57:14 p.m. Nov. 26, resuming playback at 12:43:09 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 27), confirming widespread public speculation about the ongoing fourth sea trial. Military observers and naval enthusiasts anticipate the feed's restoration after the trial concludes, reflecting Taiwan's strong public interest in the nation's expanding indigenous naval capabilities. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.2)