Non-US Aerospace/Defense Companies & Contracts

OTTAWA - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on July 6 that Canada will purchase up to 12 Type 212CD submarines from Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), marking the largest military procurement in Canadian history. Optimized for Arctic waters and fully NATO interoperable, the yet-to-be-proven boat features a larger, advanced design with a hull built to defeat sonar. While the design remains untested and the first of its class is not expected to be in the water until 2029, Canadian defense officials expressed confidence in the evolution of the platform. Under the current schedule, Canada expects to receive its first submarine by 2033, with an additional three boats arriving by 2034.

The Canadian government will now enter into formal contract negotiations with TKMS, selecting the German builder over a competing bid from South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, which had offered its fully operational KSS-III submarine. Delivery speed was a critical factor for the Royal Canadian Navy, which currently has only one operational Victoria-class submarine. No official cost was disclosed for the program, but estimates place the total price at $100 billion including long-term maintenance and infrastructure. According to TKMS, the finalized agreement is projected to generate $167 billion in total economic activity within Canada and open new opportunities for local businesses in European supply chains.

Source: Ottawa Citizen
Associated URL: https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service/defence-watch/canada-to-become-worlds-largest-operator-of-new-submarine-yet-to-be-launched

BERLIN -- The German Bundestag Budget Committee approved the procurement of four MEKO A-200 DEU frigates, with an option for four more, from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), on Wednesday, July 8. The decision clears the way for a formal contract signing in what is expected to be the largest and highest-value surface ship contract in the company's history.

The German Ministry of Defense opted for the prospective eight-unit MEKO order following the cancellation of its troubled F-126 frigate procurement program in June. The F-126 project had faced numerous delays and cost overruns since its inception, leading to a planned transfer of the program from the original shipbuilder, Damen, to Germany's Naval Vessels Lurssen (NVL). An internal assessment by the German government concluded that the cost to fulfill the transfer and complete production of all six planned vessels would amount to around $20.58 billion (EUR18 billion). The decision to switch to a purchase of the smaller, more mature, MEKO variant is intended to save the German armed forces both cost and time.

The lead ship of the new German MEKO A-200 DEU class is expected to be commissioned in December 2029.

TKMS CEO Oliver Burkhard commented that, "The decision to select the MEKO A-200 DEU... sends an important signal to the maritime security and defense industry in Germany and underscores the importance of strong maritime capabilities for national and alliance defense."

Source: TKMS Group
Associated URL: https://www.tkmsgroup.com/news/article/next-step-for-the-mekor-a-200-deu-budget-committee-approves-procurement-of-four-frigates-and-an-option-for-additional-vessels-for-the-german-navy

LA GARDE, France -- Exail and KNDS have signed a new framework agreement covering the supply of several hundred shaped-charge warheads for the K-Ster mine neutralization system, reinforcing the industrial base supporting autonomous mine countermeasure (MCM) capabilities. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

The agreement builds on a partnership started in 2008 that combines Exail's experience in autonomous underwater mine neutralization systems with KNDS's warhead manufacturing capabilities. The K-Ster system uses a remotely deployed shaped charge to destroy naval mines while allowing the launch platform and crew to remain at a safe distance. The renewed agreement reflects a shift from low-rate procurement for technology demonstration toward large-scale production driven by growing demand for autonomous mine warfare systems among NATO and other naval operators.

Per Exail, the agreement also strengthens the domestic French supply chain for mine countermeasure systems by securing the production and integration of critical components needed to sustain higher manufacturing volumes. The companies said the arrangement is designed to improve production capacity and support long-term deliveries as navies continue modernizing their underwater mine warfare capabilities.

Source: Exail
Associated URL: https://www.exail.com/news/exail-and-knds-strengthen-a-french-industrial-ecosystem-dedicated-to-autonomous-mcm
Author: Cyril Hammer