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International momentum is moving towards submarine warfare as several countries pursue the development of new vessels for undersea operations.
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The Netherlands Ministry of Defence has recently announced it intends to acquire four new submarines and has asked three candidate shipyards to submit tenders, in a statement published on 15 June.
Candidate yards Naval Group, Saab Kockums, and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems are required to submit their tenders by 28 July before the proposals are evaluated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
The Netherlands expects to complete an assessment process before the end of January next year.
Denmark is also considering the purchase of new submarines for future defence needs, according to Danish Foreign Policy Committee chairman Michael Aastrup Jensen.
“Denmark is very strategically important, which means that all Russian Navy ships have to pass through our waters if they are coming from St Petersburg or Kaliningrad, and so we need to strengthen our deep defence, which is a completely new awakening for us,” he said.
The Canadian Department of National Defence is also looking for research procurement options for its next-generation submarine.
Babcock Canada and Hanwha Ocean recently signed a technical cooperation agreement for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition in South Korea on 9 June.
The agreement enables both companies to share their respective capabilities in shipbuilding and submarine sustainment in support of the CPSP and the current Victoria In Service Support Contract. It follows a memorandum of understanding signed between Babcock and Hanwha Ocean to collaborate on systems integration programs for future vessels in 2022.
Babcock chief corporate affairs officer John Howie said the agreement cements the company’s commitment to supporting the Royal Canadian Navy’s current and future Maritime programs.
“As a world leader in submarine sustainment, this agreement enables Babcock to build on our longstanding relationship with Hanwha Ocean and combine both organisations’ extensive experience on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project,” he said.
The announcements follow significant submarine development announcements made earlier this year with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia partnering in the AUKUS defence agreement to develop a nuclear-powered submarine pathway for Australia.
As part of AUKUS, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States unveiled plan for the new SSN-AUKUS, a jointly developed submarine capability based on the UK’s future submarine design with integrated US submarine technology. The SSN-AUKUS is expected to operate as Australia and the United Kingdom’s future submarine capability, with construction to begin “within this decade”.
