On July 3, Lars Klingbeil, Germany's Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance, visited the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) facility, stating, "The entire German federal government is conducting a comprehensive campaign to ensure successful defense cooperation with Canada."
Klingbeil emphasized Germany's top-tier production capabilities, asserting, "In many respects, we are very well positioned."
Oliver Burkhardt, CEO of TKMS, also expressed optimism about the bid. He stated, "We believe there is a strong possibility that we will secure the contract," highlighting the interoperability of naval forces among NATO allies as a key advantage.
Burkhardt noted that if the project proceeds, it would represent the largest contract for conventional submarines ever signed among NATO allies.
The Canadian Submarine Project aims to replace the aging Victoria-class submarines by introducing up to 12 diesel submarines. Including the construction costs and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) expenses over the next 30 years, the total project value is estimated to reach up to 60 trillion won.
Currently, South Korea's Hanwha Ocean and Germany's TKMS are the qualified candidates competing for the contract. Both countries are mobilizing government support in a full-scale effort to win the project.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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