Hanwha Ocean and Babcock Canada are developing a Canadian Patrol Submarine Project proposal that emphasizes domestic sustainment, localized industrial participation and long-term workforce development.
How Would Responsibilities Be Divided Under the Hanwha-Babcock Proposal?
Hanwha Ocean said Monday that it would provide its KSS-III submarine platform and shipbuilding expertise, while Babcock Canada would contribute submarine sustainment experience.
Babcock’s role also involves leveraging its specialized Canadian workforce and supply chain and delivering vital subsystems such as torpedo tube components and a weapons handling and launch discharge system. The company currently supports the Royal Canadian Navy’s Victoria-class submarines under a sustainment support contract.
Currently operational and in active production, Hanwha’s KSS-III platform is designed to boost Canada’s maritime security. Its advanced underwater monitoring and Arctic-ready features provide the endurance and long-range performance necessary for persistent, stealthy operations, Hanwha said. These lethal capabilities are intended to give Canada the tools to identify, monitor and counteract potential threats across its Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic waters.
What Is CPSP?
CPSP is a primary defense initiative to procure 12 new submarines, intended to modernize the Royal Canadian Navy’s fleet and protect national maritime sovereignty across the three oceans.
Hanwha Ocean is proposing an aggressive delivery timeline, asserting it can provide four KSS-III submarines to replace the Victoria-class fleet before 2035, provided a contract is signed in 2026. The company estimates that retiring the current fleet early would save approximately $1 billion in maintenance and support expenses. Under this plan, the remaining eight vessels would be delivered annually, completing the 12-submarine fleet by 2043—a schedule Hanwha claims is unmatched by other competitors.
Where Have Partnership Discussions Taken Place?
Representatives from Hanwha Ocean and Babcock Canada met in London during the United Kingdom–Republic of Korea Defence Logistics Committee meeting to discuss matters associated with the CPSP.
The partnership is built on a teaming agreement signed in 2025, following earlier cooperation arrangements related to submarine construction and sustainment activities.