TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwanese navy initiated preparations for pre-submersion tests of its domestically produced submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤號), as announced by Navy Chief of Staff Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) on Thursday (Jan. 22). The Hai Kun moved from the dry dock at CSBC Corp. Taiwan (台船) to Kaohsiung Port's Pier 91 on Wednesday (Jan. 21) for final preparations, with submersion tests anticipated by mid to late January.
Initially scheduled for delivery by the end of November 2025, the Hai Kun faced delays despite undergoing five sea trials. Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) acknowledged the challenges of meeting the deadline, leading to daily fines of NT$190,000 imposed on CSBC since November. The submarine underwent 1.5 months of adjustments starting Dec. 5, 2025, and returned to Kaohsiung Port on Wednesday, drawing significant public attention regarding its submersion test timeline.
Chiu emphasized the Navy's ongoing collaboration with CSBC and foreign technical consultants to conduct essential verifications. He stated that the military will convene an evaluation meeting to decide further preparations once safety conditions are met, underscoring the commitment to adhere to planned standards before proceeding with subsequent tests.
The Hai Kun, a diesel-electric defense submarine, boasts a combat system from Lockheed Martin and can launch MK48 MOD6 AT torpedoes and modified UGM-84 Harpoon missiles. It carries up to 18 torpedoes, significantly surpassing the firepower of existing Hai Lung-class (劍龍級) submarines. Named to evoke mystery, the Hai Kun draws inspiration from the ancient text "Zhuangzi," with "Kun" symbolizing the enigmatic and elusive, also reflecting Taiwan's historical names "Kun Hai" (鯤海) and "Kun Dao" (鯤島).