Overview

• Canada has narrowed the contest to two bidders, South Korea’s Hanwha with KSS-III boats and Germany’s TKMS with Type 212CD submarines.
• Royal Canadian Navy chief Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee says a mixed fleet is supportable but the simplest path is 12 submarines from one supplier to standardize parts and weapons.
• Experts including David Perry and Philippe Lagassé warn a split buy could weaken Ottawa’s negotiating leverage and require duplicative training and logistics.
• Deloitte’s Daniel Kerry says choosing both firms could diversify risk and potentially speed deliveries, though costs and industrial effects would weigh heavily.
• An industry source says officials have privately floated a split for months as the government reviews options, with no decision announced and the Victoria class slated to retire by 2035.