Hanwha Ocean partners with Canada's security, defense firms for submarine project

Michael Coulter, left, chief executive officer (CEO) of Hanwha Global Defense, and Phil Kurtz, chief legal officer at BlackBerry, pose for a photo during CANSEC 2025 in Ottawa, Canada, in this photo provided by Hanwha Ocean on Friday. Yonhap

Hanwha Ocean, a major Korean shipbuilder, said Friday it has partnered with Canadian security and maritime defense firms as part of its bid for Canada's submarine project.

The company signed separate memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with BlackBerry and L3Harris MAPPS during CANSEC 2025, a Canadian defense exhibition held Wednesday and Thursday in Ottawa, according to Hanwha Ocean.

Under the agreements, Hanwha Ocean will collaborate with BlackBerry on cybersecurity and with L3Harris MAPPS on integrated simulation and platform automation technologies.

Hanwha Ocean said the partnerships aim to strengthen the company's position in the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), a submarine procurement program estimated to be worth up to 60 trillion won ($43.7 billion).

Both Canadian companies have longstanding experience working with the Canadian Navy, it added.

As part of its CPSP proposal, Hanwha Ocean showcased the KSS-III submarine, which can remain submerged for over three weeks and has an estimated range exceeding 7,000 nautical miles, during CANSEC 2025.