VICTORIA, B.C. — As the federal government nears a final decision on the largest naval procurement in Canadian history, a state-of-the-art South Korean submarine has docked at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in Victoria. The vessel, named ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, was manufactured by South Korean defense leader Hanwha Ocean (formerly Hanwha Aerospace). This cutting-edge model has successfully secured a spot on Canada’s final shortlist to supply 12 new diesel-electric patrol submarines under a massive procurement plan estimated at $25 billion. Demonstrating its long-endurance capabilities to Canadian decision-makers, the 3,000-ton vessel completed a historic 14,000-kilometer trans-Pacific voyage from Jinhae, taking nearly two months to reach the British Columbia coast.
South Korea faces stiff competition for the lucrative contract from a joint German-Norwegian alliance pitching the next-generation ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) Type 212CD submarine. The European model boasts an advanced design capable of operating completely silent and remaining virtually invisible to underwater magnetic sensors. Crucially, both the South Korean and European models possess the specialized under-ice capabilities necessary to patrol Canada’s vast and vulnerable northern Arctic region. The procurement has become an urgent matter for the Royal Canadian Navy, whose existing fleet consists of four troubled Victoria-class submarines purchased second-hand from Britain in the 1990s. With only one of those aging vessels currently operational, naval leadership has emphasized that acquiring a modern fleet is an immediate national security priority.
Canadian naval officials note that as a country with the world’s longest coastline, Canada requires at least 12 modern submarines to maintain a consistent, year-round maritime presence across its three bordering oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic. Hanwha is leveraging the physical presence of its submarine in Canadian waters to reinforce its promises of strict cost certainty and rapid delivery timelines. Glenn Copeland, CEO of Hanwha Canada, stated that because the vessel is already a proven, built reality, it represents an exceptionally low-risk solution for the federal government. With Ottawa actively reviewing the final refined bids, a formal announcement naming the winning builder is expected to be delivered by late June.
