Agence France Presse – December 17, 2001

Taiwan rejects offer of four second-hand Indian subs

Taiwan has turned down a proposed deal to buy four used submarines from a third country amid concerns that Washington’s offer to sell Taipei eight diesel submarines may be aborted, a report said Monday.

A former US congressman tried to broker the deal during his visit to Taiwan early this month, a trip the Pentagon “fully understood,” the United Daily News quoted an unnamed military source as saying. The paper did not identify the former congressman.

It said the four diesel-powered vessels are believed to be the old German-built 209-class submarines which had been serving the Indian navy for up to 14 years.

The paper said the Indian navy is claiming to be “building” two nuclear-powered submarines.

The US broker felt the deal would allow Taiwan’s navy to boost its submarine fleet in two years at a relatively low cost, the paper said, without specifying the price.

However the deal was rejected by Taiwan military authorities despite US guarantees of after-sales maintenance and spare parts.

The paper said the proposed deal carried a “political message” that Washington’s offer to sell Taipei eight conventional submarines may be aborted. However it may also reflect Washington’s growing desire that Taiwan play a greater role in checking the expansion of the Chinese navy.

US President George W. Bush in April approved the sale of eight diesel-electric submarines as part of Washington’s most comprehensive arms package to Taipei since 1992.

But the US has not built conventional submarines for more than 40 years and designing an entirely new one would be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, the most likely solution would involve foreign participation.

Military sources here have said Taiwan’s navy favors German 212-class or Dutch-designed Moray submarines.

But both countries have said they would not get involved in arms sales to the island, which Beijing regards as part of its territory to be unified with the mainland by force, if necessary.

Taiwan’s navy currently operates a fleet of four submarines including two Dutch-built Sword Dragon submarines and two aging US vessels.

Actually , im doubtfull that india is going to buy the Scorpenes now. Russia is pressuring it to buy the Amur class instead. Pakistan should go for the Turquoise Class subs by DCN as they are far more advanced than either the Agosta or the Scorpene. The U214 isnt all that expensive and im sure the PAK NAVY can afford it. But the question is ….how reliable is germany going to be in view of the EU export regulations? The embargo against CHINA is going to be lifted this year and hopefully we might see the U214 being sold to the Chinese Navy.

Very nice. A wave of East European Gripens 😀 We saw the Czech’s a little while ago. Romania and Bulgaria next?

I wish Asia could get a few but too Thailand could offer nothing but frozen chicken.

Well, Pakistan was planning on buying between 60 to 100 Gripens plus 14 Saab 2000 Eireye AWACS back in july 2004. The Swedish government couldnt approve the sale because of its export restrictions…which in my opinion ridiculous because Sweden is marketing the plane in the middle east and sold Bofors to india. Pakistan only wants to replace its F-7’s and use the GRIPENS for an air defense role only. It seems the PAF is losing out since its plan to set up a VIGGEN manufacturing facility in 1971 fell through because of the 1971 war in East Pakistan. If the GRIPEN is approved for joint manufacturing in Pakistan, the order magnitude could be as high as 120 Jets. That is more planes than Sweden had hoped to export in the next 20 years.!!