Hello again everyone! Let’s all get behind this Mark Carney decision! The real work now begins for Canada and the TKMS Type 212CD Germany/Norway sub offering to hammer out the final details before the build begins. If contracts are not signed before the end of 2027 and negotiations go south, don’t forget that Hanwha Ocean waits in the wings!! The KSS III Batch II is a larger & heavier sub (4000+ tonnes) and is also a great choice for Canada and the RCN as well. Again, let’s see what happens by this time + next year and hope it will be a good deal for all!! Cheers!!
I agree. I believe this to be a win-win for the RCN that appears to be playing out.
Both submarines have their advantages ... and it is good to seeing the project move forward.
I think the RCN has a big challenge ahead of it where they need to first keep the existing submarines going, as they form an invaluable personnel experience base for eventual training/maintenance/operation of the Type-212CD.
Further the manpower side of things for the new submarines needs to be sorted, from manning the project office to support not only the final negotiations with TKMS for the Type-212CD, but also to continue staffing that project office to oversee the massive multi-year procurement process,
In parallel the RCN needs to recruit personnel to be trained to both man and maintain the new Type-212CD.
And infrastructure changes in places like Halifax area and Esquimalt area which needs to be monitored by Naval staff, and also if any of the industrial offsets involve submarine equipment then I think the RCN will need to monitor that also.
I don't believe a "Field of Dreams" approach ( "If you build it - they will come" ) will be enough by itself. The RCN (and the CF in general) has what I call a "Crisis of Invisibility" where it would be beneficial to positively improve public awareness of the Canadian Navy so to aid in recruitment, retention, and support for future budgets - all in the interest of preserving Canadian sovereignty.
The entire aspect of potentially operating the Type-212CD in the Arctic raises a number of interesting possibilities, from the possibility of any northern 'mobile base ship' (such, for example, as a hypothetical G-LAAM or even JSS) will likely need to have additional submarine tender functionality added. The question of a global capable (?) possible submarine rescue ship likely needs to be considered. Can a future JSS or hypothetical G-LAAM be modified to have such submarine tender/rescue functionality? Is a new ship required? And if such aspects are deemed useful and fundable, then there could be long lead times for procurement of such, where starting sooner rather than later, may be prudent.
I also wonder if related to both the RCAF and the RCN, if north Arctic airfields may see infrastructure changes, not only to support the RCAF but also support the RCN? The idea being that any potential (hypothetical) Canadian mobile base ship, could have the possibility of rapid urgent support (med-evac or urgent parts) transferred from southern Canada to the Arctic airbase (if appropriate infrastructure there), and then to a hypothetical Arctic submarine tender/mobile base ship, and then to a Type-212CD - which may find such support urgently needed in the Arctic. Such logistics support could possibly increase Arctic patrol times of Type-212CD submarines. Clearly this is massive speculation by myself but I do wonder if logistics aspects (that may have very long lead times to setup) need to be assessed now? ...
Its possible such long range support plans/programs may require relatively early initiation to have available soon after the submarines go operational.