Key Points: Canada, with the world’s longest coastline, is retiring its aging Victoria-class submarines and plans to acquire up to 12 new conventionally powered, under-ice-capable subs.
-Part of the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), this modernization drive aims to address evolving Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific threats.
-Each new boat will help Canada assert its sovereignty, boost detection and deterrence in the Arctic, and strengthen maritime defenses nationwide.
-The final contract award is set for 2028, and first deliveries could begin in 2035.
-This major investment underscores Ottawa’s efforts to significantly increase defense spending and modernize its naval force for the 21st century.
Victoria-Class Retirement: Canada’s Bold Submarine Upgrade Plan
Our neighbor to the north, Canada, has the most extensive coastline in the world, with some 151,000 miles. And in an ever-changing political landscape, the country is woefully short of submarines to protect that vast space.
Currently, Canada has only four diesel-powered subs to safeguard its vast coastline. That must change.
The four Victoria-class submarines that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) operates are aging and need replacement. A look around the globe showcases the need for better protection, which Canada requires.
Tiny North Korea operates 71, the most submarines in the world. The United States has 67 submarines, China has 59, and Russia has 49. With the Victoria-class subs facing decommissioning in the next decade, Canada must upgrade its numbers and capabilities.
Victoria-Class Submarines History
Great Britain constructed and sailed Canada’s small fleet of Victoria-class submarines in the 1980s. When the Royal Navy withdrew the boats from service in 1994, Canada purchased them and some trainers to replace its decommissioned Oberon-class submarines in 1998. The cost was 750 million dollars.
Specs:
Length: 70.3m
Displacement (weight): approximately 2,200 tons surfaced / 2,450 tons dived
Speed: 12 knots (surfaced), 20 knots (submerged)
Patrol Endurance: approximately 8 weeks
Driving Depth: > 200 meters
Crew size: 48 crew and five trainees
Armament: 6 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (18 Mark 48 torpedoes)
What You Need to Know About These Submarines
The subs initially had some electrical problems, which the Navy eventually fixed. The fourth sub, the Chicoutimi, suffered a serious fire on its way from Great Britain to Canada. One sailor died from his injuries, and two others were seriously injured. It delayed its commissioning until 2015.
However, in 2017, the vessel sailed into Asian waters and made a port stop in Japan, the first Canadian sub to visit there since 1968. The voyage lasted over six months (197 days), the most extended deployment of a Victoria-class submarine in Canadian service.
One of the subs, the Corner Brook, crashed into the sea floor at nearly 6 knots during a dive off British Columbia in 2011. Two sailors were seriously injured, but the sub was able to surface and sail back to port under its own power. The captain, however, was relieved of duty.
The Canadian government published a white paper in 2017 that said that the Victoria-class submarines’ operational life was to be extended one “life cycle” or about eight years.
On July 10, 2024, the Canadian government announced the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP). The RCN would be acquiring up to 12 conventionally powered submarines. The government stated that “an underwater surveillance capability is crucial to our security and sovereignty.”
An RFI was issued by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) in September 2024.
The Replacement Plan
The procurement of a dozen conventionally powered, under-ice capable submarines will be a big expenditure by the Canadian government. This is part of Canada’s plan to increase its defense spending ratio in relation to gross domestic product.
Canadian Minister of National Defense Bill Blair said, “As an Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific nation with the world’s longest coastline, Canada needs a new fleet of submarines. The procurement of up to 12 conventionally-powered, under-ice capable submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy will enhance Canada’s ability to detect and deter maritime threats, control our maritime approaches, and project power and striking capabilities further from our shores. We look forward to working with industry partners to implement this crucial project in support of the priorities outlined in Our North, Strong, and Free.”
(Dec. 12, 2011) The Royal Canadian Navy long-range patrol submarine HMCS Victoria (SSK 876) arrives at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor for a port call and routine maintenance. The visit is Victoria’s first to Bangor since 2004. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Ed Early/Released)
The Canadian government wants international partners, companies, and navies in Europe and Asia to bring forth bids with submarines that are already in service.
Once the bids are submitted, the government will award a contract in 2028, with the first delivery of the submarines no later than 2035.
About the Author
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 1945, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in other military publications.
R Langkamer
January 4, 2025 at 12:02 am
As a former member of the Weapons Group in FMF (CB) I worked on those subs from the shop and then as PlannerEstimator on the Tiger Team, went on to Surface Ships for a years training as a PlannerScheduler, transferred to the Sub Planning Office, then finished up in Quality Control as QCW11.
The major problems, er challenges, were the political figures making these purchases dillydallied for so long, they wasted all the time we should have used in procurement of the hundreds of thousands of parts and all the drawings required to take this girl apart and put her back together.
Because of that political level, the military level then has to follow their orders and do as they’re told, so by the time you get down to the beleaguered civilian level, we have to figure out how to refit this submarine, with no one on Earth ever having done it before!
Without parts, without drawings and no refit handbook to refer to.
Then we had to deal with the makers refusing to let us see anything in their books or allow us to make notes when they haltingly allowed to look at their stuff.
A thoroughly exhausting and frustrating exercise, all in all…
Hugo Amado
January 4, 2025 at 12:38 am
Sadly Canada is such a joke on the international arm/navy/airforce front. Can’t bark like a dog if you pee like a little puppy. How do you defend a country, its coastal waters or anything if your arm/navy airforce is in shambles and you don’t have the necessary equipment, subs, fighter jets, war ships to defend anything with??
Someone else’s 2nd hand on its way out crap.. it’s a complete embarrassment!!!
Shame on Canada! Clearly this country was sold out long ago and its forefathers are rolling in their graves!
Steve
January 4, 2025 at 4:44 am
I have worked on refitting the Canadian submarines Chicoutimi, Victoria and Corner Brook,since they first arrived in Canada. The biggest problem with this project is the engineering firm that was awarded the contract to repair them, namely Babcock Engineering. Their lack of knowledge, urgency and being totally incompetent has cost the Canadian government and tax payers millions. The company I work for is the subcontractor.. no pun intended.. the VISSC program is the only project I’ve been a part of that never met its schedule or budget. I have worked in the ship repair industry for almost 40 years, and I am currently working as a union trade supervisor on Victoria. I appreciate the opportunity to do so, but the incompetent Babcock management has made this a very frustrating and disheartening project to be a part of. The Canadian military deserve better and the only way they’re going to get these subs in proper working order is to get rid of Babcock Engineering.. just like Australia did.
JW
January 4, 2025 at 10:30 am
Hopefully a new government is in place before the contract is awarded … I’d hate to see more friends of Trudeau getting rich off the taxpayer …
Mathew
January 4, 2025 at 1:40 pm
The new Submarines should be 100% electric as well just saying, 60 billion dollars!! and where are we buying our building materials for these projects some reclaimed cars or maybe the used coffee percolators that only last 3 months, or maybe old electric bikes yes that’s a great idea I think Im really on to something now, quality and craftsmanship in Canada dose that even exists anymore? I think I need a coffee lol
Howard Jolley
January 4, 2025 at 2:00 pm
I find it totally idiotic to be thinking of procuring a dozen new subs when we can’t recruit enough people to maintain and crew the ones we have.
Bryan
January 4, 2025 at 3:54 pm
JUST ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF THE TRUDEAU GOVERNMENTS GROSS INCOMPETENCE.
Steeve
January 4, 2025 at 7:22 pm
It’s about time, with so much coastline. Hopefully we acquire the necessary know how to keep and maintain these without being beholden to some exclusive supplier. I’m not a expert, but I think with such an expense I’d expect to have all the drawings and specifications.
Lance Lamont
January 5, 2025 at 6:49 am
It’s another boondoggle, I was working for dnd and was around to watch the progress of the refurbishing of the tired old subs in dry dock and the subsequent accident at sea… I had a friend who was assigned to be crew as a submariner… he had a mental breakdown(maybe real or fake) to get him off of it..
Why the hell are we spending money on standard submarines?! Don’t we make nuclear reactors? And we have plenty uranium… why buy 12 ? Buy three nuclear subs one for each coast and mainly for our arctic sovereignty…you can cruise under the ice for days weeks a month and go undetected. And patrol the coasts with pride, missile capable and torpedo ready.
We need more then a fleet of Rinky dink used sh#t or something that will be obsolete in 10 years, all our ships need replacing, you want to protect our coast put the money in and start with something that will protect our coasts and our north and be proud of when conflicts call on us. Then start building our navel fleet to protect our waters and our neighbours waters. We need a bang for our buck being we don’t have the population/ civilian manpower to go to big.
Buying those old worn out subs was a mistake and they had trouble in cold waters, so they were useless.
Can we get them built yesterday… ? Maybe stop give money to fund wars over seas and parasites at the UN/WEF and start using all these minerals and resources we sit on to markets who want them..I’m going to be in my gave before anything gets completed…
Grant
January 5, 2025 at 12:30 pm
The money wasted on buying the Brits junk subs should be a wake up call . Not just to the Countries tax payers but to the new flavor of the day running these departments. Gov. waste paid out to so many special interest groups has to stop. All the cash being paid to the FN band that is invested off shore has to end. Somebody please make Canada a Proud Country again.
Keith Patton
January 5, 2025 at 7:32 pm
Canada’s free ride on the US taxpayer’s defense dollars is about to end.
Pepper Steve
January 12, 2025 at 7:20 pm
To the comment about not having enough sailors to man the new subs…without new gear, it is impossible to attract recruits and retain qualified folks. No one wants to work and serve in used and refurbished outdated equipment. That is one reason why CAF has so much trouble staffing (but not the only). If the population doesn’t care enough to provide modern equipment, who in their right mind would be willing to die defending the same population??