Why doesn't The Republic of China have any submarines?

Lama

New Member
Registered Member
Here comes the photo.
One of the Gubby class,completed in 1944.
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The Zwaardvis class and the Gubby class.
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2. Taiwan launching missiles against Fujian does not factor into deterrence. For the past 40 years, China has focused on domestic development and saw a war as disruptive to this task. That still applies today

Does not? Or you meant does? With the caveat that the PRC is more likely to use force if the ROC either pursues official independence and/or allies/submits itself to another country that would by default be hostile to the PRC.

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Subs are most effective against enemy surface ships, but until the last few decades, China didn’t really have a surface fleet worth countering. Same deal with sea based trade.

China focused initially on subs over their surface fleet for the same reason why Taiwan wants subs now - they are most cost effective against a superior opfor surface fleet.

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"The last few decades" is more like just one decade. Not until the mid-to-late 2000's did the PRC have a surface fleet, or overall capabilities in a Taiwan scenario, worthy of being countered by more advanced ROC subs.
 

AndrewS

Brigadier
Registered Member
Does not? Or you meant does? With the caveat that the PRC is more likely to use force if the ROC either pursues official independence and/or allies/submits itself to another country that would by default be hostile to the PRC.

I mean Taiwan being able to hit Chinese cities with missiles doesn't make much difference to the overall calculation on what China will do.

That applied in the past, and will in the future.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
The biggest outside supplier of Military systems and arms for Taiwan is of course the U.S..

But the last Conventionally powered American sub design was the Barbel class submarines back in the 1950s.
These were used as the basis of The Taiwanese Netherlands Hai Lung class.
The U.S. has only shared nuclear propulsion technology with the British really, and the Nuclear submarine force is the sole form of the USN. The U.S. will of course sell systems and sub systems for conventional subs and has a technology edge in fuel cells. However there seems no interest in building for at home or export conventional subs.
Taiwan's eventual indigenous subs will likely have a high degree of American systems.
 

Biscuits

Major
Registered Member
I mean Taiwan being able to hit Chinese cities with missiles doesn't make much difference to the overall calculation on what China will do.

That applied in the past, and will in the future.

Except it does? Several hundreds or even thousands under threat if violence is used completely changes the equations. Just a few ROC missiles slipping through the shield could cause destruction on the scale of 9/11.
 

AndrewS

Brigadier
Registered Member
Except it does? Several hundreds or even thousands under threat if violence is used completely changes the equations. Just a few ROC missiles slipping through the shield could cause destruction on the scale of 9/11.

By that point, a thousand civilian dead doesn't make any difference.

Remember that there will be thousands already dead in the Chinese military, and also in the Taiwanese military.
 

Biscuits

Major
Registered Member
By that point, a thousand civilian dead doesn't make any difference.

Remember that there will be thousands already dead in the Chinese military, and also in the Taiwanese military.

There’s not a way PLA could lose 1000+ troops. It’s not even very plausible for ROC to lose 1000+ troops, since the opening move would be a decapitation strike.

Losing 2-3 skyscrapers to missile attacks would mean upwards 1000+ civilians dead and many times more wounded. I think you’re heavily underestimating the effect this would have on popular opinion towards a police action on ROC.
 

AndrewS

Brigadier
Registered Member
Let's say China has air superiority over the Taiwan Strait and starts deploying helicopters with a MH-60S LIDAR which works to a 200M depth.

It means Taiwanese submarines have nowhere to hide in all of the Taiwan Strait


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Björn Larsson

Just Hatched
Registered Member
What is the water in the Taiwan Strait like? Clear or muddy?
The Baltic Sea is very good for submarines to hide in, although being deeper than 150 meters only spot wise, because it is muddy with very poor sight. The Persian Gulf on the other hand is so crystal clear with its sand floor that there's nowhere to hide.
 
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