TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The head of Taiwan's Indigenous submarine program on Monday (Sept. 25) expressed hope that the country's first two domestically-built submarines will join the Navy's existing subs to bring the total to four by 2027.

Admiral Huang Shu-kuang (黃曙光), chief of the general staff and convener of the Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) program, was cited by CNA as saying that the key task of Taiwan's submarines will be to confine Chinese forces to the first island chain and prevent them from entering the Pacific and encircling Taiwan. He said that Taiwan's first domestically-built submarine, which will be christened the Hai Kun (海鯤, SS-711), will be launched at CSBC Corporation’s Kaohsiung shipyard for testing on Thursday (Sept. 28).

According to Huang, the prototype will start its harbor acceptance test (HAT) on Oct. 1. Following this, the sub will undergo its sea acceptance test (SAT), and he hopes the Navy will be able to take delivery of its first indigenously produced submarine by the end of 2024.

As for the Navy's target for its submarine battle fleet, Huang expressed hope that three submarines, including two aging Chien Lung Class submarines and one indigenous submarine, will be ready for duty in 2025. If the second new submarine is completed on schedule, Huang said that Taiwan's fleet of subs should reach four by 2027.

Huang predicted that in the future, in addition to being tasked with defending the country in Taiwan's southwest waters, Taiwan's submarine force could also be deployed in Taiwan's southeast and eastern waters, and even in the waters between Su'ao and Japan's Yonaguni Island. According to Huang, the primary objective is to prevent the People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces from passing the first island chain and encircling Taiwan.

He explained that submarines from Taiwan, the U.S., and other countries will operate in the waters southwest, southeast, east, and northeast of Taiwan. Since northern Taiwan is close to Japan’s southwestern islands, Taiwan's Navy can leverage a strategy of defending the first island when conducting defensive operations.

Huang said that under this plan, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces would defend the narrow Miyako Strait to prevent the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) from passing through the northern waters of Taiwan and entering the Pacific. If successful, it would hamper Chinese efforts to launch "anti-access/area denial" (A2/AD) operations against U.S. forces.

He pointed out that if Chinese forces are blocked from sailing through Taiwan's northern waters, the Bashi Channel to Taiwan's south and the Balintang Channel to the north of the Philippines will become vital sea lanes for the PLAN's aircraft carriers and other warships to enter the Philippine Sea.

Huang said that Taiwan's armed forces must therefore have enough submarines and surface ships to guard the Bashi Channel and Balintang Channel to prevent the PLAN from reaching the waters to the southeast or east of Taiwan and leave the country "embattled on all sides." Huang concluded, "We must restrict the PLA to the first island chain and prevent it from entering the Pacific Ocean."