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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Going, Going, Gone?

I've long felt that Taiwan desperately needs submarines to defend against a Chinese invasion, including the feature of letting our submarines intervene (with the press noting how effective the "Taiwanese" subs are in Harpooning Chinese ships) after we've made the decision to help but before we are ready to openly move in with our surface fleet.

We don't make conventional subs (why, I don't know), and Chinese pressure has been heavy enough to keep those who make such boats from selling to Taiwan.

Does Taiwan have an opportunity to get some modern subs because of the Greek financial crisis?

The financial crises in Greece has claimed another victim, the four German Type 214 subs the Greek Navy bought, but was unable to pay for. One of the boats was built in Germany, the other three in a Greek shipyard. But the Greeks owed the German manufacturer, and the Greek shipyard, nearly $800 million. The Greek government has now admitted that the cash is not available, and is not likely to be for some time. So the 214s will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Taiwan has the cash and the need. Taiwan would be wise to be the highest bidder.