On March 9, 2026, the maritime defense landscape in Canada took a significant leap forward as Hanwha Ocean, a prominent South Korean shipbuilder, formalized a series of groundbreaking partnerships with Canadian companies and universities. The event, dubbed CPSP Partners’ Day, was held at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and marked a pivotal moment for Canada’s Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).
At the heart of the occasion were five industry teaming agreements and three memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with leading Canadian universities. These collaborations, according to Naval Today, are designed to inject Canadian innovation into the global submarine supply chain and to foster the development of next-generation maritime defense capabilities.
Each of the five teaming agreements is structured as a tri-party collaboration. Hanwha Ocean is working closely with Canadian firms and either South Korean or other international defense technology partners. The aim? To establish robust, integrated frameworks for cooperation across a spectrum of critical submarine capability areas.
GeoSpectrum Technologies and Ultra Maritime, both hailing from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, are two of the Canadian companies at the center of this initiative. They will join forces with Hanwha Ocean and LIG Nex1 of South Korea, focusing on underwater acoustic sonar and undersea warfare systems. This partnership is expected to reinforce Atlantic Canada’s growing reputation as a hub for underwater acoustics expertise.
Meanwhile, Aspin Kemp & Associates (also known as AKA Energy Systems) from Prince Edward Island and J‑Squared Technologies based in Kanata, Ontario, have teamed up with Hanwha Ocean and KTE. Their collaboration centers on power distribution, electrical and control systems, embedded computing, and integrated platform management systems. These are all vital elements for the effective operation of modern submarines.
Not to be outdone, Safran Trusted 4D Canada in Montreal is collaborating with Hanwha Ocean and Safran Electronics & Defense of France. Their focus? Combining Canadian integration expertise with advanced optronics, inertial navigation systems, radar, and defense electronics technologies for both submarine and broader naval programs.
But the partnerships extend beyond industry. Hanwha Ocean has also signed MOUs with three leading Canadian universities: the University of Toronto, the University of New Brunswick, and Dalhousie University. The focus of these academic collaborations is on research, innovation, and education. Areas of concentration include artificial intelligence-enabled naval and maritime systems, digital and simulation technologies, underwater acoustic and stealth capabilities, Arctic-capable vessel technologies, and intelligent, automated systems designed to reduce crew requirements.
According to Naval Today, these academic partnerships are intended to advance next-generation maritime and defense capabilities while supporting workforce development and fostering applied research collaboration within Canada. The goal is clear: to build a future-ready Canadian defense workforce and to ensure that Canadian expertise remains at the forefront of global naval innovation.
Glenn Copeland, CEO of Hanwha Defence Canada, emphasized the strategic value of these collaborations. He stated, "CPSP represents an opportunity to build long-term industrial partnerships that deliver real value for Canada. Through these agreements, we are strengthening domestic capabilities, supporting regional economic development, and helping build a future-ready Canadian defence workforce. By combining Canada’s advanced technologies with Korea’s proven submarine manufacturing expertise, we believe we can deliver a solution aligned with Canada’s national interests."
Paul Yeatman, President of GeoSpectrum Technologies, echoed the sentiment, noting, "These agreements demonstrate how Canadian undersea and marine technology companies can contribute meaningfully to a global submarine program. For Atlantic Canada, this represents an opportunity to further strengthen our expertise in underwater acoustics and position regional innovation at the centre of advanced naval capability."
From the academic side, Illan Kramer, Director of International Research Partnerships at the University of Toronto, highlighted the importance of bridging cutting-edge research with real-world applications. "Partnering with Hanwha Ocean allows us to connect leading-edge research in areas such as artificial intelligence and advanced systems engineering with real-world maritime applications. These collaborations strengthen Canada’s innovation ecosystem, elevate our sovereign capabilities and prepare our students to contribute to complex global engineering programs," Kramer said.
The timing of these partnerships is particularly noteworthy. As Canada seeks to modernize its naval fleet and reinforce its presence in the increasingly contested Arctic and North Atlantic regions, the integration of advanced technologies and the nurturing of homegrown expertise become paramount. The CPSP, with Hanwha Ocean’s involvement, positions Canada to benefit from both domestic innovation and international best practices in submarine manufacturing and operation.
In parallel to these Canadian developments, another milestone in undersea warfare technology was marked on March 9, 2026, when Boeing christened its second Extra-Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV), known as the Orca submarine drone. According to Naval Today, the XLUUV is designed to carry out a diverse set of missions, including Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), mine warfare, seabed warfare, and expeditionary support. The emergence of such unmanned platforms underscores the rapidly evolving nature of undersea defense, where both manned and unmanned systems are expected to operate side by side.
The partnerships forged by Hanwha Ocean are not just about technology transfer or procurement. They are about laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term collaboration between Canada and its global partners. By engaging Canadian universities, the agreements also ensure that the next generation of engineers, scientists, and defense professionals are equipped with the skills and experience needed to tackle the challenges of tomorrow’s maritime environment.
Moreover, these collaborations are poised to deliver tangible economic benefits. By anchoring advanced research and manufacturing capabilities in regions like Atlantic Canada, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario, the agreements support local job creation and economic diversification. They also reinforce Canada’s position as a key player in the global defense supply chain.
Hanwha Ocean has signaled its intention to continue expanding these partnerships with Canadian industry and research institutions as its CPSP proposal advances. The collaborative model established at the Ottawa event sets a precedent for future defense projects, blending international expertise with Canadian ingenuity and ambition.
As the world’s oceans become more strategically significant—and as new threats and opportunities emerge beneath the waves—Canada’s proactive approach to submarine capability development is likely to serve as a model for other nations. By investing in both technology and people, and by fostering genuine collaboration across borders and sectors, Canada is charting a course toward a more secure and innovative maritime future.
With these agreements now in place and momentum building, all eyes will be on how these partnerships translate into real-world capabilities for Canada’s navy and its allies in the years to come.