Taiwan marks major defense milestone with first indigenous submarine undersea trial

Taiwan has successfully completed its first-ever underwater sea trial for its indigenously developed submarine on Thursday.

The trial also marks a major defense milestone, aiming to strengthen its deterrence against the regional tensions and protect its significant sea lanes.

In the wake of growing regional issues, Taiwan’s domestic submarine programme underpins its ambitious project to modernise the armed forces.

Taiwan has been building homegrown submarines based on the technology and expertise, drawing from the US and UK.

In this project which is originally based on the construction of eight submarines, the first submarine named the Narwhal, had completed a “shallow-water submerged navigation test” off the southern Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung.

According to Taiwan’s CSBC Corp, the leading company, said, "Submarines are a key strategic capability with deterrent power.”

The Narwhal was expected to be delivered to naval forces in 2024, but the project suffered many delays and challenges caused by the international environment and pressure from Chinese communists.

The first submarine, with the worth of T$49.36 billion , will use a combat system by Lockheed Martin Corp and be equipped with US-made Mark 48 heavyweight torpedoes.

According to official authorities, the country is planning to deploy at least two homegrown submarines by 2027. Later models would be modernized with missiles.

Given the tumultuous regional situation and Taiwan’s conflict with China over territorial sovereignty, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te announced in November 2025 that his government would spend an additional $40 billion on defence.