New detailed images of Taiwan’s domestically-developed underwater drone have surfaced, revealing its most notable armament—two torpedo tubes located at the bow.
Military enthusiasts have captured detailed images of Taiwan's domestically-developed underwater drone, the Huilong (慧龍). In September, the unmanned underwater vehicle, co-developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and Lungteh Shipbuilding (龍德造船), underwent its first sea trials. While only a portion of the Huilong’s upper section was visible then, the latest images reveal its 30-meter length, 6-meter hull, and its most notable armament—two torpedo tubes located at the bow.
Although the Defense Ministry had previously stated that the Huilong was not developed for any specific military purposes, anticipation is growing as to how the vessel might integrate with Taiwan's military forces in the future. Meanwhile, a photograph of a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) submarine conducting sea trials has been circulating on social media.
Institute for National Defense Security Research Director Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) remarked that the PLA’s nuclear attack submarines have the capability to launch land-attack cruise missiles from underwater, posing a major threat to Taiwan.
Both Taiwan and China continue to actively develop their underwater combat capabilities as more of their efforts surface online.