Canada’s purchase of 12 new submarines will be one of the biggest defence procurements in the country’s history, inciting a fierce competition between bidders. In a brazen attempt to woo the federal government, the two finalists have each promised tens of billions of dollars in economic benefits.
It’s a decision with extensive implications for Canadian industry, government, the Royal Canadian Navy and the country’s strategic alliances. Each of the two bidders, Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, have a comparable diesel-electric submarine on offer, and their unique capabilities will play a large role in Ottawa’s decision.
