The Royal Canadian Navy has started the long process to replace its Victoria-class submarines (HMCS Windsor shown) by the late 2030s.(CANADIAN FORCES PHOTO)
By David Pugliese
THE CANADIAN PATROL Submarine Project (CPSP), part of the RCN’s Naval Force Development establishment, is actively analyzing the future operating environment to better understand the key capabilities and technologies that will be required of Canada’s next generation submarine, Royal Canadian Navy officers tell Esprit de Corps.
The four Victoria-class boats, originally known as the Upholder-class, were purchased second-hand from the Royal Navy and delivered between 2000 and 2004. Renamed as the Victoria-class,the subs have been deemed by the Canadian government as essential for the country’s security.
The boats are expected to continue operating until the late 2030s. But defence procurement takes time and the CanadianArmed Forces clearly understands that issue. “Recognizing that the Victoria-class submarines are scheduled to commence decommissioning in the late 2030’s and that defence procurement timelines for a complex project such as submarine replacement can take 15 years or more from project establishment to first delivery, the CAF required a submarine replacement project be initiated,” National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier explained to Esprit de Corps.
That process will inform timely governmental decision-making about a potential replacement class of submarines, and avoid any gap in submarine capability,” he added.“With this forward looking approach, the team is reaching out to partners from academia and defence scientists to consider such things as the potential impact of climate change for future operations in the Arctic, and how emerging technologies might be leveraged to increase the amount of time that submarines can stay deep,” Le Bouthillier noted.
The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project team will also examine technologies that can be leveraged to support digitally enabled operations and increase survivability in future threat environments, relying on modern weapon systems, sensors and uncrewed systems, Le Bouthillier added. “They are research-ing the systems that will facilitate joint operations with Allies and partners in Europe and in the Indo Pacific, in addition to contributing to maritime domain awareness and the system of systems network enabling the continental defence of NorthAmerica, including the Arctic.
The project remains at a preliminary stage. The project team is responsible for analyzing all conventional options and responding to any questions the government may have, Le Bouthillier said.“Establishing a project to replace the Victoria-class in due course does not commit the government to any specific course of action, but instead preserves the time to make an informed decision when required,” Le Bouthillier noted.
Victoria-class submarines were recognized in the Canadian government’s defence policy, Strong Secure Engaged, as key contributors for national defence, capable of operating alone orin support of Naval Task Groups.Composed of up to four surface combatants, a joint support ship and a submarine when needed, Naval Task Groups are expected to form core operating forces that enable the RCN to sustain international blue water operations, while retaining the capability to contribute to operations in support of North American security and maintaining a presence in Canada’s three oceans.
While the Canadian Armed Forces is suggesting it could take 15 years for a submarine procurement, National Defence documents obtained by Esprit de Corps through the Access to Information law warn the process could take much longer. “The procurement timeline from project establishment to contract award is highly specific to the project but staff analysis has shown that the procurement of a new submarine class will take a minimum of 15 years total from project establishment to first delivery and could exceed 25 years depending on the adopted procurement strategy,” National Defence and military officials told then Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan in a Jan. 6, 2021 briefing note.
The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project office will start out small but will be incrementally augmented with “hand-selected submariners, engineers and procurement professionals,” Sajjan was told. The staff will follow the normal project activities leading to departmental government boards, an independent review panel for defence acquisition, and eventually approval by Treasury Board for the project to proceed.
“Significant analysis will be required to determine the design, fleet size, and build strategy,” Sajjan was told.
In its pitch to the Defence Minister the Royal Canadian Navy noted that submarines are a key element of the Canadian Armed Forces continental defence and are critical to the detection of foreign submarines.
Given that submarine technology is being exploited by non-state actors (e.g. Caribbean drug cartels) the significance of sub-surface MDA (maritime domain awareness)/maritime undersea surveillance is an important capability to retain and grow pursuant to recent departmental discussions,” Sajjan was told.
The current Defence Minister Anita Anand also received a similar briefing on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, defence sources pointed out.
With a price tag for a future submarine fleet potentially in the tens of billions of dollars, selling federal politicians and the public on the need for a new underwater fleet will be critical. (On the issue of cost, Australia planned to spend $66 billion on purchasing 12 diesel-electric submarines from France. It scuttled that deal and now plans to purchase nuclear-powered submarines from a U.S.-British alliance at an estimated cost of $170 billion. Whether the Canadian public or government would accept similar costs remains highly doubtful).
The RCN has tried to promote the value of the submarines on missions to the Caribbean to support U.S.-led counter-narcotics missions as well as NATO operations in tracking Russian subs. The RCN also highlighted submarine activities in the Asia-Pacific.
In late 2017 and early 2018 HMCS Chicoutimi spent 200 days at sea in operations in the Asia-Pacific. The mission marked the first time in 50 years that a RCN submarine had operated in Japanese waters. The submarine also took part in the “Annual Exercise”, a bilateral training event between the USN and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.
Last year the RCN also launched a significant public relations campaign highlighting the need for a new submarine fleet, but the initiative comprising of a series of opinion articles from academics closely aligned with National Defence seem to have had little impact.
The crew of HMCS Victoria monitors instruments as the submarine slips under the waves for a routine patrol.(PHOTO BY DAVID PUGLIESE)
In the meantime, the maintenance of the existing Victoria-class submarine fleet is of critical importance to the RCN. Sustainment of submarines is a key industrial capability the Royal Canadian Navy aims to grow and develop in Canada.
Submarines are among the world’s most technically complex machines and they operate in an unforgiving environment, the RCN points out. The Victoria-class submarines operate in open-ocean and deep-sea environments where they experience pressure-induced stresses from changes in depth, extreme weather conditions, and the corrosive effects of seawater.
A strict in-service maintenance program is required to ensure the safety of the crew and mission success. It also helps develop and sustain a highly-skilled Canadian marine workforce with expertise in a specific domain, according to the Department of National Defence.
Upkeep of the Victoria-class boats is provided via a combination of Royal Canadian Navy and contracted maintenance resources. National Defence’s fleet maintenance facilities in both Halifax, NS and Esquimalt, BC are involved in submarine sustainment.
But the main player is private industry.
A contract for maintenance support of the Victoria-class was originally awarded to Babcock Canada Inc. (formerly the Canadian Submarine Management Group Inc.) in 2008. This contract was originally for a total value of approximately $2.9 billion and a maximum duration of 15 years if all options were exercised.
The Victoria-class In-Service Support Contract or VISSC is one of the largest naval in-service support contract in Canada and includes project management, refits and maintenance, capability upgrades, logistics, configuration/safety records and engineering support. The main contract covers core work and tasking with deep maintenance periods – termed Extended Docking Work Periods (EDWPs), included as required by the submarine operating schedules.
The work is done in Victoria (CFB Esquimalt), BC.
In May 2018 the Department of National Defence extended the existing submarine support contract with Babcock. That extension was out to June 2021 and involved a team of more than 400 Babcock engineers, project managers and specialist support staff continue to support all four submarines in refit and in-service.
Babcock Canada is recognized as a leading naval in-service support specialist with the ability to leverage international best practices from a wide range of similar navies and vessels around the world.
Since its inception in 2008 Babcock Canada has continued to grow and has now established facilities in Victoria, Halifax, and Ottawa, the company added.
In February 2022, the VISSC contract was further extended to 2025 in order to ensure continued and uninterrupted service is available for the submarine fleet, according to Le Bouthillier.
A new contract – dubbed VISSC II – is also on the horizon.Department of National Defence officials had stated that theVISSC II contract would be awarded by May 2022.
But more time is needed, confirmed Le Bouthillier and an analysis of sustainment options is underway.
The Government of Canada is currently engaging with industry on the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for VISSCII, Le Bouthillier added.
An Invitation to Qualify or ITQ for VISSC II was issued by the Canadian government in August 2019, and five prequalified bidders were announced in March 2020. Those included BAESystems (Canada) Inc.; Babcock Canada Inc.; Serco Inc. and Chantier Davie Canada Inc. in a Joint Venture carrying on business as the Canadian Submarine Alliance; Naval Group; and Thales Canada Inc. and Thales Australia Ltd. in a joint venture.
One of the pre-qualified bidders, Naval Group, has subsequently withdrawn from the process.
“At this time, project schedules are currently under review and we expect to communicate the revised timeline in due course,”Le Bouthillier said.
The scope of the future VISSC II contract is the subject of an ongoing study to ensure that the new contract will respond well to government priorities around performance, flexibility, value for money and economic benefits, he added.
The current annual recurring maintenance cost for the four Victoria-class submarines, including expenditures under the original VISSC, is in the range of $300 million to $350 million per year. The final value for the VISSC2 contract will depend on the number of years the contract is active and the scope of work.
The company winning the VISSC2 will be required to have an office in Ottawa and facilities on the east and west coast. All intensive third-line maintenance periods will take place at the Esquimalt Graving Dockyard in Victoria, BC.
The evaluation criteria for the winning bid will focus on demonstrated submarine sustainment and maintenance experience, access to an available and skilled workforce, ability to meet the criteria to become a tenant of the government owned submarine repair facilities at Esquimalt GravingDock and capability to support industrial benefits and value proposition initiatives.
The industrial and technological benefits and value proposition set up requires companies awarded defence procurement contracts to undertake business activity in Canada equal to the value of the contracts. Key industrial capabilities including critical industrial services as defined by the Canadian government. Those include marine ship-borne mission systems, sonar and acoustic systems, munitions, electro-optical support, training and simulation, armour, shipbuilding, design and engineering services and aerospace systems.
The original sustainment plan for VISSC2 called for two submarines at high readiness, one available as required and one in Extended Docking Work Period or EDWP. First and second line maintenance will be done primarily in-house. Third line maintenance will rest with industry.
The Royal Canadian Navy wants a 9 plus 3 Victoria-class operating cycle. The submarines would be involved in operations for a nine-year period, followed by a EDWP of three years.
