Under the partnership, Hanwha Ocean will provide its proven, in-service KSS-III submarine platform alongside its shipbuilding expertise developed over decades of naval construction. Babcock will contribute extensive experience in sustainment, maintenance, and lifecycle support, as well as critical subsystems including the weapon launching and handling system and key torpedo tube components.
Working alongside Hanwha Ocean, Babcock Canada will lead localization activities within Canada, including in-country in-service support, maintenance, repair and overhaul, performance upgrades, and long-term workforce training. The companies state that this structure is intended to embed sovereign sustainment capability in Canada while creating durable employment pathways across the submarine lifecycle.
“CPSP is not just about delivering a submarine platform. It is about building long-term industrial capability and skilled jobs in Canada,” said Charlie SC Eoh, President of Naval Ship Business at Hanwha Ocean. “Through our partnership with Babcock, and with Babcock Canada at the centre of localisation, we are committed to supporting sovereign sustainment and lasting workforce development for Canada.”
Eoh added, “By bringing together Korean, British, and Canadian industrial expertise, this partnership supports Canada’s ability to operate seamlessly with allies across both the NATO and Indo-Pacific regions.” He said the model reinforces Canada’s role as a trusted defense partner while ensuring that skilled jobs, sovereign sustainment, and long-term industrial capability remain rooted domestically.
Beyond bilateral cooperation, the partnership establishes a Korea–UK–Canada trilateral CPSP framework integrating maritime security, economic security, and sovereign sustainment into a single delivery model. Building on Babcock’s experience supporting the Royal Navy, the arrangement is designed to develop a sovereign Canadian sustainment capability to support long-term fleet availability for the Royal Canadian Navy.
The trilateral model is intended to deliver sustained employment across maintenance, repair and overhaul, supply chain participation, engineering support, and workforce skills development. Hanwha Ocean has been shortlisted as one of two qualified bidders for the CPSP, which aims to acquire 12 submarines to recapitalize Canada’s fleet and strengthen maritime sovereignty across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic.
