Canada’s Submarine Program Springs a Leak
The Royal Canadian Navy projects that its (second-hand) Victoria-class submarine fleet will reach the end of their life cycle by 2030. A plague of serious mechanical problems suggests an even earlier date. However, the replacement of Canada’s submarines was not included in the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy—this omission raises significant questions concerning the government’s intentions for the future of Canada’s submarine program. This report finds possible reasons why submarines were omitted from the strategy, and raises a number of significant questions that go to the heart of the government’s management of defence procurement.
