Hanwha Ocean has signed a teaming agreement with Babcock Canada for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) competition, naming the company as the program’s exclusive in-service support partner.
The announcement builds on earlier accords between the firms: a memorandum of understanding in 2021 and a technical cooperation agreement in 2022.
This follows Canada’s August decision to shortlist the South Korean shipbuilder as one of two finalists for the CPSP alongside Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems.
Selecting a Canadian contractor for in-service support on the multi-decade program will help ensure fleet sustainability and operational availability, according to Babcock Canada.
The company is a subsidiary of UK-based Babcock International Group, which supports the entire Royal Navy submarine fleet.
“This agreement further strengthens our existing relationship with Hanwha Ocean and enables the combination of both organisations’ extensive experience on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project,” Babcock Canada CEO Tony March said.
Canadian Patrol Submarine Project
One of the largest conventional submarine procurements in modern history, the CPSP aims to deliver up to 12 submarines to the Royal Canadian Navy, replacing the four aging Victoria-class boats that have been in service since the early 1990s.
The submarines are required to patrol the icy waters of the Arctic, offering extended range and endurance along with stealth, persistence, and lethality.
The project aims to counter China and Russia’s expanding submarine fleets, particularly as global warming opens previously frozen Arctic sea lanes for resource exploration.
Program Details
The estimated 60-billion Canadian dollar ($43-billion) program is scheduled to deliver its first submarine by 2035 at the latest, with the full fleet entering service by 2043.
Hanwha Ocean said it can deliver the first submarine within six years, followed by additional units at a rate of one per year.
If a contract is awarded in 2026, the shipbuilder said it can deliver four submarines by 2035, with the first arriving in 2032.
“Hanwha Ocean’s proven submarine construction capability and the fastest delivery schedule, combined with Babcock’s established in-country supply chain and deep global sustainment knowledge, will provide the Royal Canadian Navy with the lowest risk and most reliable solution to ensure optimal availability of the submarine fleet,” Head of Naval Ship Global Business at Hanwha Ocean, Steve Jeong, said.
