Canada to pick submarine supplier in its largest defence purchase ever

Canada expects to select a preferred bidder for a 12‑submarine program within the next 30 days, a deal that could become the biggest defence procurement in the country's history. Defence procurement minister Stephen Fuhr told Politico at the ILA air show in Berlin, "I expect in the next 30 days we will know which direction we are going," as Ottawa moves to replace its ageing fleet and boost patrol capabilities in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic.

The competition is between Germany’s TKMS, offering the Type 212CD design, and South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, offering the KSS‑III submarine. The decision will lead to detailed negotiations with the chosen supplier, but does not yet constitute a final contract. Ottawa’s goal is a fleet capable of operating in three oceans, driven by heightened Arctic concerns over melting ice and increased Russian activity.