Babcock Canada has signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement with South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to collaborate on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), Babcock announced during the MADEX International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition in Busan.
Babcock will contribute its expertise in providing in-service support and sustainment of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)’s Victoria-class diesel-electric submarines (SSKs) – a role which it has been performing since 2008 – while HD HHI will provide its world-class capabilities in naval shipbuilding.
The agreement was signed by Babcock’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer John Howie and Young-seuk Han, Vice Chairman & CEO of HD HHI.
“As a world leader in submarine sustainment, this agreement enables Babcock to build on our longstanding relationship with HD HHI and combine both organisations’ extensive experience on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project,” said Howie.
“Through close collaboration between leading companies in Canada and South Korea in shipbuilding and defence industry, we will propose the optimal submarine to the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, equipped with the latest technology in both Canada and South Korea,” added Han.
The CPSP programme was established by the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) to determine possible candidates for its next-generation submarine intended to replace the current boats.
The RCN currently operates four Victoria-class SSKs purchased from the UK in 1998 and delivered to Canada over a four-year period from 2000 to 2004. However, the fourth boat was only commissioned in 2015 due to an onboard fire that delayed its introduction into service.
The Canadian government had previously committed to modernising and operating the Victoria-class boats into the mid-to-late 2030s, although local media reported that it was also considering a purchase of up to 12 new submarines CAN$60 billion.
HD HHI is one of the builders for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN)’s latest Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (KSS-III)-class SSK programme. It launched the future ROKS Shin Chae-ho, the third and final boat of the first batch of three KSS-III SSKs, in September 2021. Shin Chae-ho is slated for delivery to the navy in 2024 following a series of trials and evaluations.
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