This Week in Defence (02/02/26): News out of Korea, DAME update, TKMS returns to Lobbying (and the news), Aircraft Tariffs

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Happy Monday Everyone!

Apologies for the late release again. I wanted to try and hold out incase any late news from Korea came out. You never know with these things! Anyways, it's eight in the evening so I'm confident I'm good. Don't wanna wait until later.

As a side note: I want to remind everyone I will be in Ottawa this week! I will be attending a dinner at the German embassy on Wednesday, and while my Thursday is full, I still have some potential availability Wednesday if anyone wants to say hello! Ill be sticking around downtown anyways.

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News

• Read up on the latest edition of CanadaxEurope!

• Also CanadaxIndo-Pacific, which is a thing! How cool is that!

• The latest edition of Steffan Watkins RCN Media and Public Awareness Update is up!

• Canada and Korea Align on ‘Invest in Canada’ Initiative

• Korean Cars and Other Things Coming Out of The Delegation Visit

• TKMS and Seaspan Shipyards Sign Teaming Agreement to Support Sovereign Sustainment for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project

• Canada and Republic of Korea strengthen ties in key industrial sectors

• The latest Tariff threat? Aircraft and Bombardier.

• Indra strengthens its position in Air Traffic Management in Canada: consolidates its role as a simulator provider for NAV CANADA

• Minor Changes to Schedule Next Week (i'm going to ottawa)

• Canada’s Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Visits Hanwha Ocean Shipyard in South Korea

• TKMS launches the Canadian Defence & Dual-Use Innovation Ecosystem (CDDE)

• KSS-III Coming To BC, Torpedo Production and Other Highlights From Mr. Fuhr And Friends Visit To Korea

• Scotiabank supports defence sector through partnership to establish a new global defence bank

• Business Council of Canada and the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) hosted the 3rd Canada-Korea CEO Dialogue

• Memorandum signed on Latvian-Canadian cooperation for military industry development

• Minister McGuinty signs an Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement with Japan

• Canada and Republic of Korea strengthen ties in key industrial sectors

• DMA/CDS Message: Retirement of Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard

• His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife commences Operation CARIBBE

• DMA/CDS Message Welcoming Deputy Minister Fox to Defence

• Canadian Armed Forces Member dies in Latvia on Operation REASSURANCE

• Ovide Mercredi Appointed to Arctic Gateway Group Board of Directors

• Governor General to visit Norway, Denmark and Greenland

• HMCS Charlottetown departs on Operation HORIZON and NEON

• Korean Update On Secretary Fuhr And Friends Trip To Korea (including photos!)

• 4C Strategies signs five-year extension agreement for Exonaut with Canada’s Department of National Defence

• BOREALIS DISH Industry Day: Advancing defence innovation through secure collaboration

• Defence tech startups want to change the way Canada equips its military

• How Canada and Sweden are redefining northern security and co-operation

• Inuit call for a larger role in Canada’s Arctic defence surge

• F-35 fighter jet purchase ‘remains under review,’ defence minister says

• Algoma Steel submarine commitment ‘exciting news’ for the Sault, says defence expert

• Should the Canadian Coast Guard be armed? The jury is still out, but the navy says no

• Canada should be wary of embracing ‘total national defence’ to ward off an American invasion

• The Golden Dome is where Canada's F-35 debate and Trump's Greenland threat meet

• Pierre Polievre wants a Churchill base, but experts debate northern Manitoba town's military capacity

• German Navy set to utilize Canadian Combat Management System

• CAF Compensation Phase Two: Key information for members

• A giant leap for snacks: Defence Team member sweetens Canada's journey to the moon

• World Cancer Day: Staying proactive about your health through screening

• Women’s Heart Health Month: What you should know

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Project Updates

• The RFP for the Radarsat Plus Next Generation Ground Segment Concept study has been updated with new documentation

• The RFP for the Vessel Life Extension (VLE) of CCGS Mamilossa has been updated with new documentation

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Lobbying Updates

• Zighra Inc has filed a new record with PAA Advisory looking to engage the Federal Government on it's products and capabilities, specifically in Explainable AI (XAI) for Actionable Intelligence, Multi-Sensor Fusion & Electronic Threat Detection, On-Device AI for Autonomous Defense, and Adaptive Security

• GHGSat has filed a new record looking to engage the Federal Government on it's capabilities, including it's existing space assets, and to explore potential funding opportunities

• Nukik Corporation has filed a new record with Chadwick Consulting looking to engage the Federal Government on the benefits of the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link proposal as well as to engage on potnetial funding

• Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH has fuled a new record with PAA Advisory looking to engage the Federal Government on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project

• The Boeing Company has filed a new record with Summa Strategies Canada looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including ITB benefits and several ongoing projects including AEWC, NTACS and FFLIT

• Bell Textron Helicopters has filed a new record with CFN Consultants looking to engage the Federal Government on both NTACS and the ongoing RCMP Rotary renewal.

• Open Ocean Robotics has filed a new record with CFN Consultants looking to promote their lines of Solar-Powered Unmanned Surface Vessels.

• Bombardier has filed a new record looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics, like a lot of topics.

• Davie Canada has filed a new record looking to engage the Federal Government on the National Shipbuilding Strategy and IP regarding Ferriws and Icebreakers

• St. John's Dockyard Limited has filed a new record with Joel Watson looking to engage the Federal Government on Icebreakers and possible maintinence contracts related to them.

• Theon Sensors has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Ty Curran

• Jaunt Air Mobility Aircraft Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Ezechiel Nana

• Serco Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Pavan Sapra

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Rumors & Speculation

• I usually don't do this but I wanted to clarify last weeks article from the Ottawa Citizen on DAME. Usually I would do a note, however I had stuff this week for DAME anyways, so might as well give a rundown, since they were lacking

DAME entered definition in November/December. That was the plan. The priject will acquire up to 170 tracked, articulated vehicles along with 77 trailers and around 17 new facilities to accommodate them. That is split 153 for the Army and 17 for the RCAF. DAME plans to award a contact for 2028 at the latest with FOC for ~2032/2033.

It isn't what is garunteed. There is a middle proposal for only ~140 vehicles, however DAME is being treated as a priority. I expect they'll get what they want. It is one of the Armys Core Four projects, as the existing BV206 fleet is operating beyond it's Life Expectancy. If you remember a few weeks ago we had an RFP for Medium Over-Snow Vehicles. That is an interim as far as I know to support the existing 206 fleet.

I do want to write about DAME. The Ottawa Citizen also forgot about Roshel and ST Engineering bidding with the ExtremV platform. I guess I have to rush this so there’s a proper rundown….

• AEWC might be without the E-7 if rumors are to be believed. Still working on grtting some info regarding ongoing issues.

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