Ottawa has picked two foreign shipbuilders to move ahead in the race to replace Canada’s troubled submarine fleet.The Liberals confirmed Tuesday that Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems of Germany and Hanwha Ocean Co. of South Korea will compete to supply the Royal Canadian Navy with up to 12 new submarines. The deal is expected to cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.The new Canadian Patrol Submarines are supposed to patrol the Arctic, project power in all three oceans, and give Canada the ability to detect, track and, if needed, sink enemy vessels. .The first boat is promised by 2035.Canada’s current Victoria-class submarines were bought second-hand from Britain in 1998. One caught fire before it even arrived. The fleet has spent more time tied up in repairs than at sea and will only limp along until the late 2030s.Defence officials said the decision to qualify the two foreign firms was based on capability and timelines. The government claims the project will create jobs in Canadian shipyards and defence firms, but key work will be done overseas..Public Services and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound called the move “a critical step toward equipping the Royal Canadian Navy with next-generation capabilities.”But critics have long warned the navy is running out of time. Without new submarines ready before the Victorias are retired, Canada risks a gap in its ability to patrol its Arctic waters and back up its allies.
