Four torpedo trainers to arrive this year: ministry

REALISTIC PRACTICE: As each combat-ready torpedo costs more than NT$100 million, the navy needs to use training torpedoes instead, the defense ministry said

• By Lo Tien-pin and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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Taiwan is expected to receive four MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology heavyweight torpedo trainers by the end of this year, with the navy planning to incorporate them into submarine training exercises next year, the Ministry of National Defense said in a report submitted to the legislature.

The delivery schedule for the US-made torpedoes has been revised several times, drawing considerable attention from lawmakers and the public. However, the ministry said the four training torpedoes would arrive by the end of this year in accordance with the agreed schedule.

The navy is closely monitoring the deliveries and expects to complete acceptance procedures before year-end, allowing the torpedoes to be used in next year’s annual training exercises, it said.

A submarine fires an MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology heavyweight torpedo in an undated illustration.

Photo courtesy of Raytheon C

The incoming training torpedoes would be particularly important for the navy’s indigenous defense submarine prototype, the Hai Kun (海鯤), or Narwhal, and its existing Hai Lung-class (海龍, Sea Dragon) submarines, it said.

Military sources said the torpedoes could be included in next year’s Han Kuang military exercises, maritime combat drills and precision munitions firing exercises. The Hai Kun and Hai Lung-class submarines could take part in underwater training launches.

With each combat-ready torpedo costing more than NT$100 million (US$3.07 million), the navy cannot afford to use live warheads for routine training. Instead, brightly painted training torpedoes without explosives are essential for realistic exercises involving submarine crews and equipment, the report said.

The torpedoes are assembled and manufactured by US companies Raytheon and Science Applications International Corp. Training and combat versions use the same standardized production line for their key high-tech components, including propulsion systems, control sections, and active and passive sonar systems.

The main difference is in the torpedo’s front section. Combat versions are fitted with warheads containing high explosives, while training versions use an equivalent-weight electronic instrumentation section manufactured by Raytheon. The equipment records navigation data and maintains proper weight distribution, ensuring that training launches closely replicate actual combat conditions.

Despite lacking explosives, training torpedoes offer nearly the same performance as their combat counterparts. The two versions share identical propulsion and fuel systems, capable of speeds exceeding 55 knots (102kph), as well as active and passive sonar homing systems and wire-guidance controls.

Training torpedoes can replicate almost all the complex maneuvers of combat torpedoes, including changes in speed and depth, and responses to interference. They are also equipped with data recorders and can be recovered by the navy after launch for repeated use.

The 24 combat-ready torpedoes are scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan in stages next year and in 2028, with all units expected to arrive by the end of 2028, the ministry said.

However, the overall procurement project is expected to conclude in 2030, two years later than originally planned. The ministry attributed the revised timeline partly to broader international production-line issues, including the resumption of production.

The navy said that a dedicated project team is closely monitoring progress with the US side and that there is no need for excessive concern about a potential gap in submarine combat capability while the vessels await their torpedoes.

With the four training torpedoes scheduled to arrive first, the navy said it plans to complete acceptance procedures by the end of this year, and begin underwater training launches and performance evaluations for submarine crews next year.

The exercises would allow the Hai Kun to test its wire-guidance technology and torpedo tube functions, while giving submarine crews experience operating the new torpedoes, it said.

The training is also expected to bolster Taiwan’s underwater asymmetric warfare capabilities as the navy prepares to integrate its next-generation submarine into service, it added.