Will Taiwan meet submarine delivery deadline, unlock defence budget with Hai Kun tests?

Taiwan has conducted a series of shallow-water submerged tests of its indigenous submarine prototype over the past two weeks, marking a key step towards potential Navy delivery as early as June.The Hai Kun, or Narwhal, is part of the island’s Indigenous Defence Submarine programme, a project widely seen as central to its efforts to boost asymmetric naval capabilities amid increasing military pressure from Beijing.Surface navigation tests began last year, with undersea trials and weapons testing originally slated for completion between September and October ahead of Navy delivery in November.That schedule was not met, prompting opposition lawmakers to freeze NT$1.8 billion (US$56 million) in funding for follow-on submarines. The funding is part of a broader NT$284 billion programme to build seven additional subs.The budget would remain frozen until the prototype completed sea trials, opposition lawmakers said.In the face of growing political pressure, CSBC Corp, Taiwan – which built the prototype – conducted the first submerged test on January 29.Three more shallow-water submerged tests have followed since then, and CSBC released its first official video of all four on Sunday.