Canada has announced the selection of the German T-212CD (Common Design) submarine for the construction program of 12 new submarines. The decision was announced by the country’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney. The German submarine prevailed in the competition of the South Korean KSS-III Batch-II. The 12 new submarines will replace the four “Victoria” class submarines, which were acquired second-hand from Great Britain in 1998.
The cost
The construction of the 12 submarines is expected to cost about $ 12 billion, but the entire program (cost of support and use, creation of infrastructure, training and weapons) is expected to approach or exceed $ 70 billion over a period of 40-50 years. After the selection, Canada and TKMS will begin negotiations to draw up the terms of the contract.
The Royal Canadian Navy will receive stealth submarines from Germany and Norway, choosing perhaps the best submarine of its kind in the world.
Note that the other solution was the Korean KSS-III Batch-II with ballistic missiles. As we have told you the builder of Hangua, is one of the favorites in the USA, and will (again) build from the beginning a huge shipyard there. So the rejection of the KSS-III Batch-II, you don’t make it up to me that it has to do with the irritation of the Canadians for the bunch of Trump.
Germany and Norway are the heart of the European Union
Speaking of Τ-212CD, it is made by Germany and Norway. The project has been developed together, and has many interesting features. Among them, the stainless steel hull, which means huge savings in maintenance and painting over 40 years.
Germany is the heart of the EU. Norway, though not in the EU, is like it is. Together with Iceland and Liechtenstein, they participate in the so-called EEA or European Economic Area and pay a respectable “assistance” to help the weakest EU member countries.
In short, Canada has made a hard-core European choice (please also read the analysis titled “The EU should immediately grant candidacy for membership to Canada and Iceland“). We don’t know if T212 CD is better for Arctic environments than KSS-III Batch-II, but obviously for Norway to buy it and co-design it, it means something. Norway, for those who don’t know geography, goes as far as the Arctic. And Norwegian submarines, there they are going to fight primarily.
