Taiwan's Hai Kun Fires Its First Torpedo

Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

On May 6, 2026, Taiwan’s first indigenously developed submarine, the SS-711 Hai Kun (海鯤), successfully conducted its maiden torpedo launch test — the most consequential weapons milestone in the program’s history to date.

#Taiwan's first indigenous submarine #Haikun (SS-711), the #Narwhal, has successfully conducted the torpedo launch test. A big milestone. It'll soon be defending our waters.
💪💪💪 pic.twitter.com/ffRAfV7shs
— Joseph Wu (@josephwutw) May 7, 2026

State-owned shipbuilder CSBC Corp confirmed in a formal statement that the test verified the combat system’s full operational chain: detection and tracking, fire control, launch sequencing, and torpedo guidance. The Hai Kun — named after a mythological creature of unfathomable scale from the ancient text Zhuangzi — carries a Lockheed Martin combat system and is designed to deploy US-made Mark 48 heavyweight torpedoes. CSBC did not disclose the specific type of torpedo fired during the test.

Indo-Pacific Deterrence on Taiwan Strait

Taiwan's Hai Kun Fires Its First Torpedo