TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Navy’s two Dutch-built Hai Lung-class submarines, the Hai Lung and Hai Hu, are nearly finished with upgrades.
The two submarines, built in the 1980s, have been undergoing a combat system upgrade since 2018 for NT$7.41 billion (US$234.2 million), Liberty Times reported. The Navy has allocated a final payment of NT$208.588 million.
The National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology and Lockheed Martin are replacing outdated systems that have been in service for more than three decades, per Liberty Times. Upgrades include a new integrated combat management system, digital optronic periscopes, next-generation sonar, and the digitization of the weapons launch system.
The new weapons launch system allows the submarines to launch US-made Mk-48 Mod 6 AT torpedoes and UGM-84L submarine-launched Harpoon missiles. The submarines will conduct their first live-fire tests of these missiles next year.
The Hai Lung has already completed all upgrades and defect corrections and has returned to the Navy, according to Liberty Times. The Hai Hu entered shipyard maintenance in May 2025, and work is progressing smoothly. Upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of this year.
