Taiwan to receive four MK-48 training torpedoes by year-end — Taipei Times

Taiwan is expected to receive four U.S.-made MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology heavy training torpedoes by the end of 2026. The Navy plans to complete acceptance procedures by the end of the year and use the torpedoes in annual submarine fleet exercises in 2027, Taipei Times reports, citing a report by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense submitted to the legislature.

Training for submarines

The training torpedoes will be particularly important for Taiwan’s Hai Kun submarine prototype, also known as Narwhal, as well as for the existing Hai Lung-class submarines. According to military sources, they may be used during the next Han Kuang exercises, maritime combat training and precision-guided munitions drills.

The ministry noted that a combat torpedo costs more than 100 million New Taiwan dollars, or about $3.07 million. Therefore, training torpedoes without explosives are needed for regular fleet training. After launch, they can be recovered from the water and reused.

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Specifications and delivery schedule

The training and combat versions have identical propulsion, control, active and passive sonar homing, and wire-guidance systems. They can reach speeds of more than 55 knots, or 102 km/h. Instead of a warhead, the training version has an electronic instrumentation module that records navigation data and provides the required weight distribution.

Deliveries of 24 combat torpedoes are scheduled in stages in 2027 and 2028 and are to be completed by the end of 2028. At the same time, the entire procurement project is planned to be completed in 2030 — two years later than the original schedule. The ministry linked the revised timeline to problems with international production lines, including the resumption of production.