Taiwan's Hai Kun Submarine Enters Dry Dock for Deep Calibration After Weather Delays

The Hai Kun, Taiwan's domestically built submarine, has recently entered dry dock for calibration, a move that follows a month-long hiatus from sea trials. Heavy rainfall in Kaohsiung, the submarine's home port, has prevented its deployment since completing its initial sea trials on July 30. This period of inactivity has led to speculation about the submarine's readiness and the reasons behind its docking.

According to Chi Tung-yun, chairman of the Taiwan Security Development Association, the dry-docking is likely for in-depth calibration by the original manufacturer's technical team. Chi anticipates that the Hai Kun will resume its operations soon. He noted that the submarine was originally scheduled for further testing between August 24 and August 28, but severe weather, including the outer bands of a typhoon, disrupted these plans, making sea trials impossible.

Chi highlighted that the Hai Kun still has two significant tests remaining: an overnight navigation endurance test and a deep-sea diving test. These critical trials require the submarine to undergo thorough adjustments by the original manufacturer. The submarine's absence from its usual berth at Pier 91 is directly related to this necessary technical work.

The progress of the Hai Kun is closely tied to the funding for future submarines. Chi explained that 50% of the initial NT$2 billion allocated for the construction of the second and third submarines remains frozen. The condition for releasing these funds is the successful completion of all sea trials for the Hai Kun. This places significant pressure on CSBC Corporation, Taiwan (CSBC) and the Navy, who must prioritize safety as stated by Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo. CSBC has previously stated that the submarine would be delivered in the latter half of the year, a timeline that remains under scrutiny.