Canada takes ‘first step’ towards purchase of new submarines

Canada is moving up pinch nan acquisition of caller submarines to switch its aging fleet, arsenic it faces mounting unit astatine this year’s NATO acme to spend more connected nan military.

Defence Minister Bill Blair made nan announcement Wednesday, arsenic NATO leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stitchery successful Washington for nan yearly gathering of nan alliance, which is marking its 75th anniversary.

Blair said nan Canadian Navy is “taking nan first measurement towards nan procurement of up to 12″ subs to “covertly observe and deter maritime threats” but provided nary specifications astir nan costs aliases timeline, only saying that nan petition will spell retired to nan manufacture this autumn to look astatine disposable options.

For years, defence experts person urged nan national authorities to bargain caller subs to run much efficaciously successful nan Arctic and take sides Canadian sovereignty against progressively fierce behaviour from Russia and China.

“It’s agelong overdue. I would reason that this is simply a important capacity that should person been connected nan approved list, astatine slightest a decade ago,” said erstwhile navy Commander Retired Vice-Admiral Mark Norman successful an question and reply pinch Global News.

The fleet will see conventionally powered submarines, which tally disconnected diesel, pinch under-ice capabilities to antagonistic “emerging information threats,” Blair said.

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The Canadian navy has 4 diesel-powered submarines built successful nan 1980s, but only 1 is operational.

The authorities is readying to bargain accepted submarines, not atomic ones for illustration nan U.S., Australia, and nan U.K. do successful their AUKUS defence pact; an confederation meant to antagonistic China’s increasing beingness successful nan Indo-Pacific.

Buit Norman says Canada’s caller fleet will apt beryllium “high technology” and a invited announcement for its subject partners.

“It will each thief show to our friends that we are taking our defence commitments seriously,” he said.

Canada routinely misses NATO’s target for members to walk 2 per cent of GDP connected defence, and sources person told Global News nan Biden management is losing patience.

However, Norman warns nan process could return years to get caller submarines.

“I’m very concerned astir really agelong it takes america to do these types of things. Our way grounds is atrocious,” said Norman.

— With files from Mercedes Stephenson, Sean Boynton, Marc-Andre Cossette