The Royal Canadian Navy is making a pitch for the purchase of up to 12 new submarines at a cost of $60 billion, say National Defence and industry sources.
The navy is pushing for the acquisition of the submarines to be included in the Liberal government’s Defence Policy Update. Last month at a defence conference in Ottawa, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre acknowledged he was advocating on behalf of the navy for submarines.
The navy has a team examining the replacement of the current Victoria-class submarine fleet and there have been initial discussions with industry officials, sources said.
Asked about the navy’s new submarine proposal, National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier stated that, “the Defence Policy Update is currently underway, with public consultations ongoing, and we look forward to releasing the DPU in due course.”
The navy has created the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, or CPSP. “The CPSP is examining all conventional options available, gathering information, and conducting an analysis of potential submarines capable of meeting the Royal Canadian Navy’s requirements,” said Le Bouthillier.
But he noted the work on the submarine project is part of the navy’s routine analysis. “The CPSP does not commit the government to any specific course of action, but is intended to facilitate an informed decision when required,” Le Bouthillier added.
Canadian defence industry sources say the cost of the new subs would be around $60 billion but that price tag could climb to $100 billion as military equipment procurement programs are rarely on budget. Industry representatives pointed to the program to build 15 new surface combatants for the Canadian navy. The cost for those vessels has climbed from $25 billion to more than $80 billion.
In 2016, Australia had a project to build 12 conventional-powered submarines at a cost of more than $50 billion. But it withdrew from that and instead entered into a new plan to buy at least eight nuclear submarines with help from the U.S. and Britain. The Australian government has estimated that program will cost between $260 billion to $360 billion over 30 years.
There are hurdles to the Royal Canadian Navy’s proposal to buy new subs. In the past, the navy has had trouble training enough submariners to crew its current fleet of four boats, let alone 12.
The other hurdle is whether the federal government wants to fund such a massive naval project at a time when Canadians are more concerned about the lack of health care system and affordable housing, inflation and increasing costs for basic necessities such as food.
The four Victoria-class boats, originally known as the Upholder-class, were purchased second-hand from the Royal Navy and delivered between 2000 and 2004.
But the latest data provided to this newspaper by National Defence shows the submarines have had limited use since 2017. HMCS Corner Brook has not been to sea over the last five years. (end of excerpt)
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