Taiwan planning to replace aging torpedoes: Defense News
ROC Central News Agency
2011/05/17 23:03:56
Washington, May 16 (CNA) Taiwan's military plans to budget US$860 million to purchase new Mk54 and Mk48 torpedoes to replace its aging U.S.- and German-made ones, the U.S.-based Defense News reported Monday.
The weekly said in a dispatch from Taipei that Taiwan's military authorities will procure the torpedoes in phases over a 10-year period.
Of the total budget, US$300 million will be used to buy 600 Mk54 lightweight hybrid torpedoes to replace Mk46 anti-submarine torpedoes, the report said.
In addition, US$160 million will be spent on the purchase of 40 Mk48 heavyweight submarine-launched torpedoes designed to sink fast, deep-diving nuclear-powered submarines and high-performance surface ships.
The Mk48s will replace the existing German-made SUT heavyweight torpedoes Taiwan acquired along with two Hai Lung II submarines, a modified Zwaardvis-class sub built for Taiwan by the Netherlands.
The report also quoted Taiwanese defense officials as saying that the military will set aside US$400 million in preparation for the purchase of 100 Mk48s to be deployed on eight diesel-electric submarines it plans to purchase from the United States.
Although the previous Bush administration approved the submarine sale, the report said, little progress has since been made on the deal. (By Zep Hu and Sofia Wu) ENDITEM/J
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