Germany pitches submarines to Canada for strategic NATO partnership

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is actively advocating for German submarines during his visit to Ottawa, aiming to establish a strategic partnership with Canada. Speaking at the Cansec defense and security conference, Pistorius emphasized a shared commitment to security in the North Atlantic, Arctic, and high north regions. Germany is seeking to involve Canada as a partner in a joint submarine initiative alongside Norway, with the Kiel-based submarine builder TKMS positioned as a strong candidate for a significant order of over a dozen vessels, though facing competition from South Korea.

“

We want to ensure security side by side in the North Atlantic, the high north, and yes, also the Arctic.

Pistorius met with his Canadian counterpart David McGuinty and Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss mutual security, defense cooperation, aid for Ukraine, and preparations for the upcoming NATO summit. The proposed partnership would allow Germany, Canada, and Norway to share and leverage German expertise, infrastructure, and experience in submarine technology. Pistorius highlighted the potential to create thousands of long-term jobs and generate substantial economic benefits for Canada, estimating the economic added value in the hundreds of billions.

“

It is about a strategic partnership with Canada.

The German minister touted the capabilities of German submarines, describing them as "state of the art" and virtually undetectable conventional submarines, representing a significant asset for NATO. He stressed that a joint fleet could be the world's largest and most modern conventional submarine fleet.

“

Together we can build the world's largest and most modern conventional submarine fleet. That would be a real asset for NATO as well.

Prime Minister Carney indicated that Canada's decision on the submarine purchase is anticipated by the end of June, likely before the NATO summit scheduled for July in Ankara. Carney also revealed that Canada is in negotiations to acquire Swedish "GlobalEye" surveillance aircraft, a type of aircraft that Germany is also considering. This pursuit of common systems among NATO allies aligns with a broader goal, though achieving it has proven challenging. Canada has been part of a maritime security partnership with Germany, Norway, and Denmark since July 2024.

“

We expect an economic added value for Canada alone in the hundreds of billions.