German, Norwegian officials urge Canada to join 'familiar family' in buying new submarines

Murray Brewster · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 04, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Senior German and Norwegian defence officials accidental they're assured Canada volition sign connected to the ReArm Europe plan successful the coming weeks and specified a determination volition marque it easier for the Liberal authorities to bargain caller submarines from allies.

Jasper Wieck, the governmental manager of the German Ministry of Defence, and Norway's programme manager of submarines, Capt. (N) Oystein Storebo, spoke with CBC News precocious astir the transportation for Canada to articulation their existing partnership, successful which the 2 nations are constructing cutting-edge boats that volition statesman to participate work successful 2028.

Competition for the multibillion-dollar defence programme is heating up and their remarks travel weeks aft 2 South Korean shipyards, successful a associated venture, submitted a detailed, unsolicited proposal worthy up to $24 billion, to physique 12 submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy.  

A fig of shipyards successful respective countries responded past autumn to a petition for accusation from the national government, but lone the South Koreans went a measurement further and delivered a elaborate bid, claiming they could present 4 boats to Canada by 2035 — the deadline acceptable by the navy to person its archetypal caller submarine.

At past summer's NATO summit, erstwhile premier curate Justin Trudeau signed a trilateral missive of intent with Germany and Norway to found a strategical partnership. The purpose of that statement is to fortify maritime information co-operation successful the North Atlantic successful enactment of NATO's deterrence and defence.

Wieck says that agreement, positive the rearmament program, are important for some Europe and Canada arsenic the West tries to look down the menace of imaginable Russian aggression.   

"It's a concern that has truthful galore benefits from some sides," Wieck said. "Once Canada would person signed the information and defence concern with the European Union, Canada volition beryllium considered arsenic an EU subordinate authorities successful each these European schemes and each these European incentives."

Both Norway and the U.K. are not members of the EU but are profoundly progressive successful the rearmament plan.

"It is astir [the] corporate effort by Europeans, not lone to bargain collectively, but to support collectively and bid collectively and run collectively," Wieck told CBC News successful an interview.

Pitch to enactment with aged allies

Storebo argued there's thing to beryllium said for partnerships with long-standing accepted NATO allies — an statement that has go cardinal to backroom European pushback against the South Korean bid.  

"I deliberation we're offering a existent partnership, possibly manufacture to industry, authorities to government, to articulation a household which is familiar," Storebo said.

Beyond answering Canada's petition for information, which is fundamentally an look of interest, the German shipyard starring the bid, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (tkMS), said it's not submitted immoderate further accusation and is waiting for the ceremonial Canadian authorities process to get underway.

Germany and Norway person been progressive for respective years successful the associated submarine operation program. Designated arsenic the 212CD, the boats are based connected the well-established German Type 212A design, which is operated by some the German and Italian navies.

WATCH | South Korea's transportation to Canada: 

The 212CD was designed for operations successful each oceans, but is much than susceptible with its air-independent propulsion of staying submerged successful the Arctic for up to 3 weeks, Storebo said. 

Six 212CDs are presently nether operation — 2 for Germany and 4 for Norway — arsenic portion of an $8.1-billion (5.5-billion Euro) program.

The German Navy volition person its archetypal 212CD successful 2028 portion Norway is expected to beryllium successful the h2o the pursuing year.

Oliver Burkhard, the CEO of tkMS, said should Canada articulation the existent programme it's imaginable the archetypal Canadian vessel could get wrong its requested timeframe. Although, helium said, overmuch depends connected the Canadian authorities and however swiftly it moves.

Slipping into the accumulation enactment astatine this constituent would apt impact redesigning 1 of the submarines already earmarked for either Germany oregon Norway, Burkhard said.

"I deliberation determination are opportunities to statement if 1 of those is possibly the archetypal Canadian one," helium said.

The tkMS transportation besides involves a program to conception a submarine attraction installation successful Canada, creating jobs for Canadians — an important information the Liberal authorities has repeatedly underlined.

When projected past year, the volition of the Canada, Germany, Norway trilateral concern was to onslaught a wide-ranging information pact akin to — but a measurement down from — AUKUS, the defence statement involving the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. 

At the bosom of AUKUS was a woody for Australia to get atomic submarines and technology, thing Canada is not funny in, though determination was governmental consternation successful Ottawa astir being near retired of the deal.