Should the Liberal government decide to go with the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) bid, the German shipbuilder has now pledged to deliver four Type 212-CD submarines to the Canadian Navy by 2036, the country’s defence minister tells CBC News.
Boris Pistorius said Wednesday that he has every confidence that the company will meet the delivery goal, which emerged early on as one of the major competitive differences between TKMS and South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean shipyard.
The South Korean submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho arrived off British Columbia’s coast on Saturday in a flashy showcase of Hanwha Ocean’s bid to secure Canada’s multibillion-dollar submarine contract.
The vessel is visiting Victoria and will take part in joint anti-submarine exercises with the Royal Canadian Navy.
The newly built 3,000-ton KSS-III submarine made the historic 14,000-kilometre trans-Pacific voyage to demonstrate its long-endurance capabilities to Canadian decision-makers.
Canada’s seemingly breakneck effort to replace its aging submarine fleet hits an important milestone on Monday with the deadline for both the South Korean and German shipyards to submit their formal proposals in the more than $20-billion program.
The federal plan to buy as many as 12 submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy has evolved rapidly over the last year into one of the most consequential procurement battles in a generation.
The new submarines Canada plans to buy will not arrive with all the necessary equipment to operate under Arctic ice, meaning they will require modifications after delivery, the head of the navy says.
Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee said Canada will need to add under-ice gear to the boats after they arrive, such as upward-facing sonar that can detect and map overhead ice and areas of open water.
SEOUL, South Korea – On a packed bullet train heading towards Seoul, the face of Stephen Fuhr, Canada’s secretary of state for defence procurement, suddenly appeared on monitors in each of the 18 train cars.
In a four-minute news story, Fuhr was shown touring Hanwha’s shipyard in Geoje, along with more than 20 Canadian CEOs along for a trade mission.
Over two days, the delegation visited multiple industrial sites and the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) submarine command base. The event was widely covered by South Korean media, and is an indicator of the importance the Republic has placed on winning the massive contract to build Canada’s next generation of submarines.
Both companies competing to build Canada’s new fleet of submarines are engaged in a battle of deal-signing this week, looking to convince the federal government and the public they’re serious about creating jobs in this country.
Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has signed an agreement with Vancouver’s Seaspan Shipyard to establish a maintenance facility for the new submarines should the federal government select its Type-212CD as the replacement for the navy’s aging Victoria-class boats.
The commander of the navy says there’s no reason — in circumstances outside of war — to arm Canada’s fleet of coast guard ships.
And Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee tells CBC News that in the event of a conflict, there are potential ways the civilian vessels can be quickly given the equipment they need to defend themselves.
The question of whether the integration of the coast guard into national defence has painted a target on the civilian agency is something that has preoccupied Parliament for months.
Iran has labeled Canada’s navy a “terrorist organization,” escalating tensions between the two countries and raising fresh concerns over diplomatic fallout.
Newsweek contacted the Canadian military for comment on Tuesday.
The commander of the Royal Canadian Navy is floating the idea of an ice-capable amphibious landing ship to move troops and equipment around the country’s Arctic — and perhaps elsewhere.
But Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee is quick not to get his hopes up — and has even, occasionally, taken pains to downplay it.
The seventeenth annual Halifax International Security Forum (HISF) took place from November 21 to 23, 2025. It was co-hosted by the Canadian Minister of National Defence, David McGuinty, and the forum’s theme was, perhaps ironically, on “democracy.” The choice in theme isn’t a generic catchphrase; it’s meant as a direct sidelining of the USA. There was not much discussion, however, about whether the fanatical Liberal Party of Canada’s “elbows up” hysteria could get Canadians or our allies killed in World War 3.
Why Canada Built a Billion $ Warship That Can’t Fight
Uhm OK. (Incognito)
Canada’s instructions to submarine contract bidders highlight sustainment, economic benefits
Canada has formally issued firm bidding instructions to the two companies vying to build the navy’s new submarines, CBC News has learned.
The document went out to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) of Germany and Hanwha Ocean Co. Ltd. of South Korea last week.
James Rourke, an official in the newly established federal Defence Investment Agency, acknowledged the document, which specifically outlines the federal government’s expectations and how the decision will be weighted, was delivered to both qualified bidders.
If they go with the South Korea bid it’s got to include BBQ, and the German bid, lots of strudel and beer.
Two small motorboats collided off the west coast of Vancouver Island this past summer, causing a large explosion. The crash was just a demonstration, conducted by the Royal Canadian Navy with equipment from a British defence contractor. But the technology on display has serious implications for Canada’s procurement of 15 large warships known as River-class destroyers.
The small motorboats used in the demo, called hammerheads, are designed for hunting and eliminating large naval vessels. Instead of having a crew, they are remotely controlled over a satellite link.
OTTAWA – Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee says the Royal Canadian Navy could end up with submarines supplied by both companies vying for Ottawa’s lucrative sub procurement contract — and there could be advantages to diversifying the fleet.
Topshee also says the simplest solution would be to operate 12 submarines from just one supplier, which would ensure all the parts and weapons systems are the same.
Topshee did not express a preference either way in a recent interview with The Canadian Press, saying it’s ultimately up to the federal government to decide.
12 subs? I’ll believe it when I see it.
UPDATE – Canada won’t split its submarine contract between suppliers: Carney
A South Korean company has made the short list to supply this country with a fleet of submarines, and if Ottawa ultimately picks Seoul-based Hanwha it would be the first time Canada has purchased a major weapons platform from a non-Western supplier.
It would represent a significant pivot from American and European contractors and forge a new relationship with an Asian country that faces major security challenges of its own, including a heavily-militarized Korean Peninsula and an increasingly aggressive People’s Republic of China.
Fearless Prediction: The Sub program will never come to fruition.
Ottawa will favour the pitch that creates the most Canadian jobs when it decides whether to award a contract for a dozen new submarines to a German or a South Korean consortium, the government’s point person for military procurement says.
The comments from Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr highlight the Carney government’s attempts to build up the Canadian industrial base while ramping up defence spending to levels unprecedented in recent history.
