Defence Investment Agency seeks input from Canadian industry on future submarine fleet sustainment

Canada NewsWire

OTTAWA, ON, March 6, 2026

Feedback from Canadian industry will inform a sovereign, resilient sustainment solution for Canada's future submarine fleet that creates opportunities for our economy and delivers real value for Canadians

OTTAWA, ON, March 6, 2026 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is modernizing and accelerating defence procurement through the Defence Investment Agency (DIA). By streamlining decisions and centralizing expertise, the Agency is expediting the delivery of mission-critical equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

Canada's vast coastline and Arctic responsibilities require a modern submarine fleet with long- range, long‑endurance and under-ice capabilities. The future Canadian Patrol Submarine will give the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) the stealth and persistence needed to protect national security, assert Arctic sovereignty, and support Canada's international security commitments. The project will also strengthen domestic defence and marine industries, and create good-paying jobs across the country.

In August 2025, the Government of Canada identified two qualified suppliers for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP): Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems, supported by Germany and Norway, and Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd., supported by the Republic of Korea. By narrowing the competition to two qualified suppliers, Canada has advanced the procurement timeline by several years, ensuring the RCN receives this capability far earlier. In November 2025, proposal instructions were issued to both firms, with a deadline of March 2, 2026. Both proposals have been received and are currently under review. We expect a decision, as early as summer 2026, as to which of the two qualified suppliers will be chosen as the preferred supplier for contract negotiations.

Today, the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement), announced that the DIA has launched a Request for Information (RFI) to engage Canadian industry on the sustainment of the future fleet.

Input from Canadian industry is vital to shaping a strong and effective sustainment approach for Canada's future submarine capability. Through this RFI, we are inviting feedback from companies nationwide, spanning defence and non‑traditional sectors, and including businesses of all sizes. Recognizing the scale and long‑term nature of the sustainment work, engaging industry across sectors and of all sizes ensures Canadian businesses are positioned to explore and pursue the opportunities this project may create.

Sustainment activities for the Canadian Patrol Submarine fleet will be conducted in Canada, in or near homeports, supported by a national supply chain. This supports Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), maximizing economic benefits and creating thousands of highly skilled, well‑paid jobs across the country.

Through the DIS, Canada is growing its defence industrial base, with the Agency delivering this approach by engaging industry earlier in the procurement process, fostering innovation, and aligning procurement with long‑term military and industrial priorities. Together, the DIA and the DIS are making generational investments that strengthen Canada's defence ecosystem, build resilient supply chains, and ensure the CAF has the capabilities it needs to keep Canada safe and sovereign.

Quotes

"The scale of the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project represents a generational opportunity to strengthen Canada's economy and sovereign capabilities. By engaging industry early through this RFI, we are ensuring Canadian companies are positioned to lead the sustainment of this fleet, anchor critical supply chains, and build the advanced industrial capacity our country requires. The Defence Investment Agency will continue driving this procurement forward so the Royal Canadian Navy receives the capability it needs, while Canada secures long‑term economic and strategic advantages at home."

The Honourable Stephen Fuhr
Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)

"Through this Request for Information, we are sending a clear signal: Canada will not only acquire a new submarine fleet, we will build the industrial capacity to sustain it here at home. Engaging Canadian companies early allows us to shape a sovereign, resilient sustainment model that protects a critical strategic capability, strengthens supply chains from coast to coast to coast, and creates highly skilled jobs for Canadians. This is about ensuring our Arctic sovereignty, supporting our allies, and making generational investments that deliver real economic and security returns for Canada."

The Honourable Joël Lightbound
Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

"Leveraging the expertise of Canadian industry to sustain our future submarine fleet is an investment in the readiness of our maritime forces, the strength of our workforce, and the growth of our economy. By establishing a sovereign sustainment framework aligned with the needs of the Royal Canadian Navy and the capabilities of Canadian industry, we are strengthening Canada's security and resilience for generations to come."

The Honourable David J. McGuinty
Minister of National Defence

"Canada's sovereignty and national security rely on a strong domestic industrial base that drives defence readiness and economic resilience and creates good jobs for Canadians. By engaging with industry, our government is ensuring that major defence procurements generate maximum economic returns at home and expand opportunities for Canadian companies."

The Honourable Mélanie Joly
Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Quick facts

On February 17, 2026, the Prime Minister launched Canada's first DIS to transform our defence industries by prioritizing Canadian suppliers and materials, investing in Canadian innovation and commercialisation, and streamlining procurement to give businesses consistent and predictable demand. The Strategy also identifies in‑service support as a sovereign capability.
On October 2, 2025, the Prime Minister announced the creation of the DIA. This new special operating agency was established to strengthen Canada's defence procurement system. It marks a major advancement in modernizing the process, aimed at rebuilding, rearming and reinvesting in the CAF to address evolving global threats and meet operational requirements.
The CPSP and RFI is part of the first wave of high-priority defence procurements transferred to the DIA.
The DIA is modernizing defence procurement for the Government of Canada. The Agency is accelerating mission-critical equipment delivery to the CAF by centralizing expertise and streamlining decisions.
The RCN's current submarine fleet will remain operational into the mid-to-late 2030s. To ensure a smooth transition between classes without a capability gap, the RCN requires its first new submarine to be delivered no later than 2035.
Submarines are a key element of a balanced fleet that enables the RCN to project power responsively and effectively far from Canada's shores, with the inherent flexibility and staying power required to succeed across a broad mission set.
The CPSP was established in 2021 to inform timely governmental decision-making about a potential replacement class of submarines and avoid any gap in Canadian submarine capabilities. The intention of the project is to acquire up to 12 conventionally powered submarines for the RCN.

Associated links

SOURCE Defence Investment Agency