Korea’s Hanwha Ocean has forged significant partnerships with Canadian companies to collaborate on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. In a strategic move, Hanwha signed a Teaming Agreement with CAE and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Gastops and Curtiss-Wright Indal Technologies in Ottawa, Ontario at CANSEC 2024.
“We see significant opportunities for synergies between Hanwha Ocean and these Canadian partners – CAE, Gastops and Indal Technologies. With the signing of the teaming agreement and MOUs, Hanwha can begin developing strategic relationships with these partners, which will also enhance and strengthen the relationship between Korea and Canada,” explained Yong Ook Lee, COO, Head of Naval Ship Business, Hanwha Ocean.
Hanwha’s Teaming Agreement with CAE, based in Montreal, Quebec, focuses on providing integrated training and critical operations support solutions. Meanwhile, the MOU with Ottawa’s Gastops aims to enhance propulsion system machinery control, as well as modeling and simulation capabilities. Additionally, the partnership with Mississauga’s Curtiss-Wright Indal Technologies targets advancements in Towed Array Handling and Winch Systems.
“We are honoured to enter into this agreement with Hanwha Ocean. This MOU marks a significant step forward in our efforts to enhance marine capabilities and deliver cutting-edge solutions that enhance vessel performance and reduce risk in the ship build process. By combining our expertise and resources, we are poised to achieve remarkable advancements in the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project and other key maritime initiatives globally,” said Shaun Horning, President, and CEO of Gastops.
The KSS-III submarine, delivered by Hanwha Ocean to the Republic of Korea Navy starting in 2021, stands as the most advanced diesel-electric submarine in service. This platform not only fulfills all operational requirements set by the Royal Canadian Navy but also meets the pressing delivery schedule of the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.
“The Teaming Agreement is an exciting next step in our growing relationship with Hanwha Ocean. The KSS-III is a highly capable submarine platform, and the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project offers an incredible opportunity for the Royal Canadian Navy to leverage CAE’s advanced training technologies, while also providing Hanwha Ocean with new options to enrich its submarine offering with world-class training and simulation capabilities in the Canadian and global markets,” expressed France Hébert, VP and General Manager, Defence & Security Canada, CAE.
David Micha, Sr. Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright EMS division, said: “We look forward to working with Hanwha Ocean on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. Partnering with a company like Hanwha on a proven platform like the KSS-III is a great opportunity for our businesses to expand into a new market.”
Further expanding their cooperative efforts, Hanwha Ocean signed additional MOUs in November 2023 with three more Canadian partners. These agreements include collaborations with Modest Tree from Halifax, Nova Scotia, for immersive training and digital in-service support solutions, Des Nedhe Group from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, focusing on economic sustainability, and Ottawa’s J Squared Technologies for critical sea platform capabilities.
These partnerships underscore Hanwha Ocean’s commitment to leveraging Canadian expertise and technology in delivering state-of-the-art submarines that meet the strategic needs of the Royal Canadian Navy.