According to the new budget proposal drafted by the Ministry of National Defense for 2026, it was indicated that the Taiwanese Navy would receive in the coming years new Mark 48 Mod 6 AT heavyweight torpedoes, as well as training variants, supplied by the United States to equip its new attack submarines. The first of these, the Hai Kun (SS-711), built by CSBC Corporation shipyard, has recently begun sea trials and systems evaluations.
As laid out in the official planning, the Taiwanese Navy is expected to receive four torpedoes next year for training purposes, while fourteen torpedoes will arrive in 2027 and another ten in 2028, completing the original number requested by Taipei. These will be employed first and foremost to train and prepare the crews of Taiwan’s current submarine fleet, composed partly of the Chien Lung-class units as well as the new generation of submarines, led by the Hai Kun-class.
It is relevant to recall here that the acquisition of the Mark 48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology torpedoes stems from the U.S. government’s 2017 authorization to replace the obsolete German-made SUT torpedoes. A year later, the Taiwanese Navy allocated USD 177 million for the purchase of twenty-four (24) torpedoes and four training rounds. Although deliveries were initially scheduled for the 2024–2025 period, delays occurred that ultimately did not prevent compliance with the original timeline, as reflected in the 2025 defense budget report.
Meanwhile, the ambitious program for the construction of new Taiwanese Navy attack submarines continues to make significant progress. It benefits from the support of foreign countries and companies, with a plan to build seven additional units under a “2+3+2” scheme, following the approval of changes to the construction schedule.
Construction of the first submarine, the Hai Kun (SS-711), which serves as prototype and test unit, began in 2021, was launched in September 2023, and is expected to enter service between late 2025 and early 2026. From February to date, the submarine has undergone various trials, reaching in early September the required 50-meter and later 200-meter dive tests, as part of its operational certification.
Among its most notable features, the new class will be equipped with modern weaponry, such as the aforementioned Mark 48 torpedoes as well as Harpoon anti-ship missiles, enhancing Taiwan’s defensive and deterrent capabilities from the depths of the sea.
You may also like: The first modernized La Fayette-class frigate of the Taiwanese Navy has finally begun its sea trials
