Babcock and COTA Partner to Develop Sovereign Weapons Handling and Launch System Manufacturing Solution for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project
Press Release + Noah Note
Babcock Canada (Babcock) and COTA Aviation (COTA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop sovereign manufacturing solutions for the KSS-III Batch-II Weapons Handling and Launch Systems (WHLS) under the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).
With over 40 years of global experience, Babcock, the Prime Contractor of the Victoria In-Service Support Contract, is a recognized leader in WHLS design and manufacturing. Delivering safe and proven solutions to navies globally, Babcock has integrated more weapon payload types than any other organization, including for Canada’s Victoria-class and South Korea’s KSS-III submarines.
COTA is a Canadian advanced manufacturing company with controlled aerospace and defence manufacturing experience, digitally enabled production systems, and direct Royal Canadian Navy project experience as a prime contractor. COTA is building integrated industrial capability that can move beyond individual manufacturing steps and support more complete, defence-ready outcomes from within Canada’s own supply base, including sovereign manufacturing solutions for complex naval systems such as Weapons Handling and Launch Systems.
COTA will play a key role in Babcock’s comprehensive CPSP sustainment solution, which has job creation, skills transfer, and industrial participation in Canada at the core of its delivery. As Canada assertively moves toward a “Build Canadian First” defence framework, Babcock and COTA’s partnership is well positioned to play a critical and meaningful role in expanding domestic capability and capacity.
“This MOU represents an important step in our shared vision to strengthen Canada’s sovereign naval sustainment capability. As Babcock plans to deliver an all-encompassing and purpose-built submarine sustainment solution, this partnership enables us to develop a domestic manufacturing capability, while leveraging a Canadian subject matter expert and building on the Government of Canada's localization strategies.” – Tony March, CEO, Babcock Canada
“This MOU marks a significant milestone in COTA’s growth as a Canadian defence manufacturer. It recognizes the capability our team has built and creates a pathway to apply that capability to future submarine systems. We are proud to work with Babcock to help bring more high-value naval manufacturing work, skilled jobs, and technical knowledge into Canada’s industrial base.” – Kyle Kusznieryk, CEO, COTA Aviation
This MOU follows a previous Industrial and Technological Benefits project between both companies, where Babcock provided early-stage support for COTA to transform itself into a digitally enabled manufacturer. In 2024, both organizations continued their partnership working together on COTA’s contract to replace and modernize obsolescent galley components on the four Victoria-class submarines.
Babcock is dedicated to building a sovereign, innovative, and collaborative Canadian defence ecosystem, preserving Canadian company value, and supporting and securing domestic growth and ownership, while protecting Canada’s interests. Babcock remains committed to championing Canadian small and medium-sized businesses, such as COTA, by connecting high-potential subject matter experts to real operational challenges sooner and more effectively, providing timely access to the best solutions Canada has to offer.
About Babcock Canada:
For over 18 years, Babcock Canada (Babcock) has been proud to play a critical role in supporting Canada’s safety and security, delivering engineering and critical support services to defence and civil customers. Babcock delivers fully integrated solutions across the land, marine, and aviation sectors.
In the marine industry, Babcock is proud to be a trusted partner of the Royal Canadian Navy working side-by-side with the Canadian Government and their partners as the Prime Contractor on the Victoria In-Service Support Contract, to deliver Canada’s only industry-led in-service support program.
As Canada looks toward the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, Babcock stands ready to deliver an all-encompassing, purpose built, and sovereign Canadian sustainment solution that will meet our Nation’s defence and economic needs for generations to come.
Babcock’s work has generated over $3 billion in GDP impact on the Canadian economy and has maintained a total of 2,472 jobs annually, 55% of which are highly skilled. Babcock is committed to establishing partnerships with local universities, colleges, indigenous communities, and small and medium-sized businesses to support skills development, training, and innovation.
At Babcock, we are proud to be a trusted partner of the Canadian Armed Forces and Armed Forces of allied nations around the world. Babcock’s mission is guided by the needs of our customers, we ensure their services and assets are equipped to fulfill their customers’ missions wherever, whenever, and however needed.
About COTA Aerospace and Defence:
Established in 2012, COTA Aviation is a Canadian multi-domain aerospace and defence company supporting land, sea, air, and space. Based in Parksville, British Columbia, COTA provides advanced manufacturing, program management, sustainment, and workforce training. Driven by next-generation leadership, the company embraces digitally enabled systems to excel in a demanding defence environment.
In the marine sector, COTA is proud to support the Royal Canadian Navy as the prime contractor for the Victoria-class submarine galley refit project, reflecting the company’s ability to manage controlled defence requirements, coordinate technical delivery, and support naval modernization.
As Canada looks toward the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project and broader defence modernization, COTA is focused on building the vertically integrated industrial capacity required to deliver complex defence outcomes within Canada. With a vision to build the most advanced aerospace and defence company in Canada, COTA is creating a Canadian-controlled production model capable of supporting complete, defence-ready solutions for Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy.
Noah Note: I am so happy for Cota. Not just because they're one of my sponsors, but I know this means a lot to them. They're the epitome to me of the foundational aspect of the many SME that make up the Defence Industrial Base. They're hard workers, and a great bunch. I love them. I’m so fucking happy to see them get some recognition.
Anyways, bringing in the Weapons Handling System into the domestic ISS package is an important, critical piece of any platform that we will want to have some domestication in. Easy to forget that half of the CPSP assessment is dedicated to ISS and Maintinence, and so forming partnerships to create Canadian partners tied to major subsystems is important to the process.
Babcocks Weapons Handling System is also one of the major systems utilized by the KSS-III with a significant international user base, with versions being utilized in-service with (outsode Korea) the Spanish Navy, Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and our own Victoria-class. That will likely include future platforms like the AUKUS-class and future ROKN submarines.
So there is potential there, and it should be highlighted that there is an international user base there to be tapped into, given that leveraging Canadian technology and potential exports is also a major ask of the Federal government when it comes to the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.
We will see, I guess.