South Korea offers Canada an $18 billion contract for armoured vehicles and submarines

South Korea wants to take a new position in the global arms market, so it has offered Canada a comprehensive programme for the supply of equipment, the main component of which is submarines.

Here's What We Know

According to CBC News, South Korea has launched a large-scale defence initiative against Canada. The latter is actively trying to distance itself from the United States because of Trump's rhetoric about the "51st state".

The offer of Korean manufacturers is estimated at more than $18 billion, of which $15-17 billion is for Hanwha Ocean and Hyundai Heavy Industries to build new submarines for the Canadian Navy. In the summer of 2024, the Canadian government outlined the need for 12 new submarines to replace the outdated British Upholder class, of which only four are in service.

Korea offers Canada KSS-III class submarines with a displacement of up to 3,750 tonnes. These are modern boats with an air-independent fuel cell propulsion system and lithium-ion batteries. They are equipped with six torpedo tubes and six vertical launchers that can launch Hyunmoo-3 cruise missiles (range up to 1,000 km) and Hyunmoo IV ballistic missiles with a concrete-piercing warhead weighing up to 2 tonnes.

Earlier, Korea offered similar boats for export in the DSME3000 version, but without a vertical launch, which is why India chose the German Type 214 submarines.

In addition to the fleet, the Canadian government has also been offered Korean self-propelled artillery systems and K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems. This part of the deal is related to Canada's intention to upgrade its artillery and replace towed M777s with self-propelled artillery systems, in parallel with the planned procurement of US HIMARS.

Source: CBC