TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s first domestically produced submarine is expected to be launched next September, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday (July 12).

The individual said the launch location has yet to be determined, adding that it will take at least one to two years after the launch to complete Harbor Acceptance Tests and Sea Acceptance Tests, according to CNA.

Ministry of National Defense (MND) Spokesperson Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said at a press conference Tuesday morning that submarine construction is one of the major national defense projects in the works. Ensuring the smooth execution of the entire project is a key task for the MND, Sun said.

According to the 2022 annual defense budget, the Navy has allocated NT$49.36 billion (US$1.69 billion) between 2019-2025 for the project. The first submarine is expected to be completed by 2025.

After President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in 2016, she promoted a number of national defense policies that focused on the domestic military production of aircraft, submarines, ships, and vehicles. In addition to strengthening Taiwan's defense industry, these moves also boosted the country's defensive capabilities, per CNA.