The ''Chien Lung'' class of submarine, also known as the ''Hai Lung'' (Sea Dragon) class, was manufactured in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

for the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northea ...

(Taiwan) and is currently in service with its navy. They are a modified version of the

Dutch Navy The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world a ...

's which itself is based on the US . A new class of submarines being built by Taiwan's

Indigenous Defense Submarine The Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) Program is a Taiwanese project to develop and construct a class of attack submarines domestically for the Republic of China Navy. History With its two effective submarines being of Dutch design manufacture ...

program, will eventually replace them.

History

The Republic of China (

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...

) ordered two submarines, each based on the Dutch ''Zwaardvis'' design, in September 1981. The keels for both submarines were laid down by dock and yard company Wilton Fijenoord b.v Schiedam in December 1982, though initial construction of the submarines was delayed due to the builder's financial instability, work resumed in 1983. Both submarines were launched in 1986, ''Hai Lung'' on October 6 and ''Hai Hu'' on December 10.

Sea trial A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a " shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and ...

s for ''Hai Lung'' began in March 1987 and ''Hai Hu'' began its sea trials in January 1988. Both ships were transported to Taiwan on board a heavy dock vessel. ''Hai Hu'' was commissioned for service on October 9, 1987 and ''Hai Lung'' followed on April 9, 1988. The deal for the submarines also included power station components and gas liquifaction plants. More boats in this class were planned, and in October 1983 the Dutch government held talks with Taiwan in which the ordering of two extra submarines was discussed. The order worth ƒ800 million was to be paid for 50% by investments of Taiwan in the

in the form of civil orders. However, the deal fell through after mainland China pressured the Dutch government. An order for four more submarines was also turned down by the Netherlands government in 1992 after China downgraded diplomatic ties with the Dutch.

Design

The ''Hai Lung''-class submarines are based on an improved ''Zwaardvis''-class design. This means that they also make use of the US Navy's teardrop hull design, which was used by the of conventional submarines. The design was modified to include the placement of noise-producing machinery on a false deck with spring suspension for silent running. As built the class featured an Elbit TIMNEX 4CH(V2)

electronic support measures In military telecommunications, electronic support (ES) or electronic support measures (ESM) gather intelligence through passive "listening" to electromagnetic radiations of military interest. They are an aspect of electronic warfare involving ac ...

(ESM) system.

Tasks

The ''Hai Lung''-class submarines are aimed at providing Taiwan the capability to deter Chinese naval blockades and to ensure that its sea lanes remain open, thus protecting the trade on which the island depends. In addition, both submarines could be used to block Chinese ports but are unlikely to be capable of countering China's submarine fleet.

Planned upgrade

In 2005, it was reported that the ''Chien Lung''-class submarines would be upgraded to be capable of launching the UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile. US DoD notified the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washi ...

of the sale to Taiwan of 32 UGM-84 Harpoon Block II missiles, along with two weapon control systems, other associated equipment and services, in 2008. The delivery of the Harpoon anti-ship missiles started in 2013 and was completed in 2016. The upgrade allows the ''Hai Lung''-class submarines to be able to attack targets from the sea, such as the

Port of Shanghai The Port of Shanghai (), located in the vicinity of Shanghai, comprises a deep-sea port and a river port. The main port enterprise in Shanghai, the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG), was established during the reconstitution of the S ...

, as well as nuclear submarines at the secret naval base in Yulin on the island of

Hainan Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slight ...

. The Harpoon missiles have a range of about . The submarines can now attack targets both at sea and on land with Harpoon missiles.

Boats

References

External links

Hai Lung (Sea Dragon)-class (Zwaardvis) Submarine - Globalsecurity

Fast-attack boat efficacy questioned - Taipei Times

Taiwan Navy Emphasizing Domestic Shipbuilding Program in Ongoing Maritime Restructure - USNI News

Taiwan seeking Aegis destroyers from U.S.: report - Reuters

Absalon Class Littoral Support Ships - Defense Media Network

Why Taiwan Needs Submarines - The Heritage Foundation

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hai Lung Class Submarine Submarine classes 1986 ships Ships built in the Netherlands Netherlands–Taiwan relations