Hai Lung [Sea Dragon]-class [Zwaardvis] Submarine
Taiwan orderd two submarines, variations on the Dutch Zwaardvis design, in September 1981. Application for a further four boats was turned down by the Netherlands Government in 1992 after Beijing downgraded diplomatic ties with the Dutch.
The keels for both submarines were laid in December 1982 though initial construction of the submarines was delayed due to the builders financial instability but work resumed in 1983. Both submarines were launched in 1986, the Hai Lung on October 6 and the Hai Hu on December 20. Sea trials for the Hai Lung began in March 1987 and the Hai Hu commenced its trials in January 1988. BOth ships were transported to Taiwan on board a heavy dock vessel.
The two Dutch submarines reportedly are armed with wire-guided torpedoes, though exercises in 2003 using these torpedoes failed to score hits due to technical difficulties with the torpedoes themselves.
