TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Following the launch of Taiwan's first domestically-designed submarine, a military analyst said the vessel draws elements from the Dutch-built subs in Taiwan's Navy, but has made several modifications and taken one major "design risk."
On Sept. 28, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) oversaw the launch of the Hai Kun (海鯤), or "Narwhal" in English, at CSBC Corporation’s Kaohsiung shipyard. USNI columnist and military expert H.I. Sutton on Sunday (Oct. 1) gave his assessment of the design of the vessel, which is the prototype of a fleet of eight Hai Kun-class subs to be built.
Sutton lauded Taiwan for building the sub from keel laying to launch in less than two years and praised it for having "an interesting design." He said that despite reports that the Hai Kun-class would be based on a Japanese submarine, it appears to have been inspired by the Dutch Zwaardvis-class. Two of the vessels were acquired by Taiwan in the 1980s and renamed the Hai Lung-class.
Sutton said the hull of the Hai Kun-class uses the same hybrid double-single hull configuration as the Zwaardvis-class. Sutton said the Dutch submarines use the same teardrop-shaped "light outer hull structure" seen with the U.S. Navy's Barbel-class built in the 1950s.
Sutton said the most obvious modification from the Dutch design is the use of an X-form rudder instead of a cross-form configuration. Sutton wrote that although most of the new vessel's design was conservative, this element was the "single greatest design risk in the project."
Sutton said elements that appeared to be missing were air independent power and verticle missile tubes. He added the sub lacks anechoic coating, rubber or synthetic polymer tiles, which would help it lower its acoustic signature.
Sutton said such exclusions are "understandable" for the country's first indigenous submarine. He added that although the submarine's design is not as modern as seen in other navies, such as China's Yuan-class, "it is credible."
He reported the vessel is "large enough to be useful in a wide range of missions." The expert also highlighted the fact the subs will be capable of launching American Mk.48 Mod 6 heavyweight torpedoes.
Although the Hai Kun-class will not be fielding the latest variant of the Mk.48, Sutton said they are "all the same highly capable weapons." According to Sutton, the subs will also be equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
***UPDATE***
Here - > https://t.co/DRnkz8MXIs
New Covert Shores article on #Taiwan ROCN's first indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun class.
Spoiler alert, it's basically the Dutch Zwaardvis class with some refinements. A sensible design and potent capability. #OSINT pic.twitter.com/MrJYXrMjZ0
— H I Sutton (@CovertShores) October 1, 2023
