Taiwan is reinforcing its defence posture against China with an $8.8 billion investment in its Indigenous Defence Submarine Program, which aims to induct eight new submarines into its naval fleet over the next decade. These advanced submarines, developed with key support from the US and other allies, will significantly enhance Taiwan’s underwater warfare capabilities amid escalating regional tensions, says GlobalData, a data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s report, “The Global Submarine Market Forecast 2024-2034,” reveals that Taiwan’s spending on submarine procurement is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 5%. This growth is attributed to the procurement of the eight conventional submarines over the forecast period.
Rithik Rao, Aerospace & Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Taiwan faced several hinderances while attempting to import new submarines due to diplomatic curbs from China. However, within the last decade, it has been able to gain the required technical expertise and establish the necessary supply chain to facilitate the indigenous construction of modern diesel-electric submarines.”
The upcoming submarines, christened Hai Kun-class, will feature several sophisticated sensors and weapon systems supplied by the US, such as the combat management system, electro-optical masts, sonars, MK-48 Mod6 torpedoes, and UGM-84 Harpoon missiles. This would augment Taiwan’s anti-surface and anti-submarine capabilities, hence boosting the country’s endeavours to safeguard its territorial interests.
Despite its significance, the Indigenous Defense Submarine Program has been criticised within the country on various issues, including its high cost, relatively slow progress, and hasty plans for additional units prior to the sea trials of the first submarine of the class, which was launched last year.
Rao concludes: “While much of the program’s details have not been publicly revealed, the relevance of a modern submarine in the naval fleet is well understood by Taiwanese policymakers, given the asymmetric advantage a submarine provides in naval warfare. It is likely to come off as a valuable investment in the country’s efforts to maintain its sovereignty.”
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