Hanwha Ocean has strengthened its bid for Canada’s Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) by signing a teaming agreement with Babcock Canada, which has been designated as the exclusive in-service support partner for the program. The agreement reinforces earlier collaborations between the two companies, including a memorandum of understanding signed in 2021 and a technical cooperation deal finalized in 2022.
The move comes shortly after Canada shortlisted Hanwha Ocean as one of two finalists in the CPSP competition, alongside Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Babcock Canada, a subsidiary of the UK-based Babcock International Group that currently sustains the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet, emphasized that selecting a domestic support partner is crucial for maintaining the long-term operational availability and sustainability of the future Canadian submarine fleet.
The CPSP is valued at approximately 60 billion Canadian dollars ($43 billion), with plans to deliver the first submarine by 2035 and achieve full operational capability by 2043. Hanwha Ocean has stated it can accelerate the schedule by producing the first submarine within six years of contract award, followed by additional deliveries at a rate of one submarine per year.
If Canada awards the contract in 2026, Hanwha estimates it could deliver four submarines by 2035, with the lead unit entering service as early as 2032. This accelerated production plan highlights the company’s ambition to meet Canada’s strategic maritime defense requirements ahead of schedule.
