This Week in Defence (03/23/26): Carignan out?, Hanwha Looking For Yards, MCAV Budget, HDFM Update, New Rifles, New Optical Caoabilities, Telesat, Bridges, Forklifts Bombardier Talking, Oh My....

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Happy Monday Everyone!

It's a new week and a new newsletter! That's right, we're modernizing This Week in Defence for the first time, well, ever…

This is the first time I have really tried to play with the format and apperence with TWID. I have mostly kept it as simple and easy to follow as possible for people to ensure that newcomers could find things easy to catch up with.

This week I've mostly focused on visual changes, trying to make things nicer and more dynamic. It also gave me a chance to make things a bit more fun around here! Let me know what you all think by this new look.

It's a big week! One of the longer ones, and if rumors are to be believed perhaps one of the most ominous we've done.

Anyways!

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• 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!

• Let's Talk with Noah (03/19/26): Big Honkin' Destroyer, CUAS Initatives, Fallout of CPSP, Website

• Minister Mcguinty announces new $1.4 billion Investment in Canada’s 155mm munition production

• The Government of Canada announces funding for search and rescue projects and launches new call for proposals

• Updating Mistake in "Minister Mcguinty announces new $1.4 billion Investment in Canada's 155mm munition production"

• Defence Investment Agency awards contract to replace current Canadian Armed Forces assault rifles

• Canada advances Defence Industrial Strategy to strengthen security, sovereignty and prosperity

• Minister McGuinty highlights armoured vehicles donation to Ukraine, visits Roshel facility in Brampton

• Telesat adds military Ka-band to Telesat Lightspeed to meet strong global demand for defence and sovereignty requirements

• Ministers Fraser and Thompson announce $16M in major federal defence investment in Newfoundland and Labrador

• Gastops and TKMS Sign Teaming Agreement to Establish Canadian Center of Excellence for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project

• FedNor invests over $4.5 million to support defence, AI solutions innovation, and small business growth in Nipissing-Timiskaming

• NEO Battery Partners with Association of the Republic of Korea Army to Strengthen Korea's Military Power with High-Energy Battery Technology

• GSTS gets Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency support for vessel management platform

• MDA SPACE ANNOUNCES EXERCISE OF OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION IN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING IN THE UNITED STATES

• Maritime Launch Introduces Interim Finance Leadership at Key Growth Inflection Point

• Volatus Aerospace Announces Graduation to Toronto Stock Exchange; Trading to Commence March 20, 2026

• Canada hosts partners to advance establishment of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank

• ATCO Invests in West Kitikmeot Resources to Advance Grays Bay Road and Port Project and Link Canada to New Global Markets

• New Model Of The River-Class revealed

• National Defence confirms Canadians on exchange with U.S. not deployed to Gulf

• Defence minister clarifies after saying he learnt of base strike from media

• Security at what cost? Critics challenge Canada’s defence push

• Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy: What You Need to Know

• Defence: Climate and Information Security as National Priorities

• Atlantic Edge: Newfoundland and Labrador Steps Forward in Canada’s Defence Industrial Expansion

• Canada mulls joining U.K.-led response force as its military grows

• Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq

• Canada can 'manage' Trump's call for help without being drawn into Iran war: minister

• Canada-Japan agreement signals shift to dual-use space defence tech

• Lofty goals, real constraints: Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy: Jonathan Berkshire Miller and Balkan Devlen for Inside Policy

• Northern Ontario highways should be part of Canadian defence: NOMA

• Defence and housing take centre stage at N3 Summit

• The 2026 Your Say Matters: Defence Team Well-Being Survey is now live! Complete yours today

• Join virtual information sessions for the HRMS upgrade

• Updates to the CAF Grievance System are coming in April

• S1 Sonia Bitca’s recovery from brain tumour reveals resilience

• Message from the Defence Team Champions for Racialized Persons on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2026

• Life changes happen: Report what matters

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This Week in Defences Project and Lobbying Updates are supported by Dominion Dynamics Aurion platform. Aurion is an open data platform designed to increase transparency across Canada's defence procurement ecosystem.

• A new RFP is out for Small Uncrewed Ground Vehicle Systems (SUGVS) to assist in the search for explosive threats and assist with explosive ordnance disposal, if any of you wanna jump on that.

• The RFP for Avian Radar Systems for Cold Lake and Comox has been updated with new documentation

• The RFP for Bundle 6 (Forklifts - Heavy, Medium, Light and Telescopic) of the Common Heavy Equipment Replacement (CHER) Project has been updated with new documentation

• The RFP for Line of Communication Bridge Systems has been updated with new documentation

• The Space: Advancing LEO SATCOM in Contested Environments challenge has been updated with a new closing date.

• The RFI for the Space-Based portion of the Surveillance of Space 2 project has been updated with new documentation

• The RFI for the Bridge and Gap Crossing Modernization (BGCM) Project has been updated with new documentation

• The RFP for the dry docking and repair work for CCGS Pierre Radisson has been updated with new documentation

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

• The RFI for the Tactical Communications Modernization (TCM) Project has been updated with new documentation

• We have a design, now we need the builder. The RFI for the actual building of the future CCG Mid-Shore Multi-Mission Vessels has been updated with new documentation

• The RFP for the dry docking refit of CCGS Jean Goodwill has been updated with new documentation

• INSITU INC has been awarded a new $79,592,206.38 contract for the in-service support, repair and overhaul of the CU-172 Blackjack Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems

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• Dominion Dynamics has filed a new record looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including the companies capabilities and offerings, Economic development of the Arctic region with respect to transportation and dual-use infrastructure, the Defense Industrial Strategy, and Potential contributions of Canadian-controlled defense companies to Canadian sovereignty.

• Ontario Shipyards has filed a new record with Rubicon Strategy looking to engage the Federal Government on the companies capabilities and offerings, as well as engage on the Project Vigilance proposal.

• Lockheed Martin Canada has filed a new record with McMillan Vantage Policy Group looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including the Canadian Surface Combatant Program, F-35, NORAD Modernization and Indigenous Reconciliation

• Hanwha Defense USA has filed a new record with CFN Consultants looking to engage the Federal Government on the companies capabilities and offerings

• De Havilland Aircraft of Canada is back and looking to promote the companies capabilities and offerings to the Federal Government. They also want to sell the RCAF on new Twin Otters.

• D-Wave Systems has filed a new record with Global Public Affairs looking to engage the Federal Government on potential funding and policy issues as they pertain to the development of quantum computing in Canada

• Rolls-Royce Canada has filed a new record looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including the companies capabilities in Aerospace and Nuclear, potnetial opportunities, tax incentives, and possible funding opportunities

• CAE has filed a new record with Prospectus Associates looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including potential contracts, future contracts, Canadian content in procurement, Visas and the NATO Flying Training In Canada program

• Marmen has filed a new record with David Pratt & Associates looking to engage the Federal Government on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project and Tariff Relief

• Qikiqtaaluk Arctic Economic Development has filed a new record with Barrack Hill Public Affairs looking to engage the Federal Government on funding for the development of the Qikiqtarjuaq Deep Sea Port in Nunavut.

• Canada Rocket Company has filed a new record with Sandstone Group looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including Talent Retention and Acquisition, Discussions around launch licences and export controls, Canadian technology, and how Canada can contribute to Global Launch demand

• Inuit Development Corporation Association has filed a new communication detailing meetings with everyone including Jonathan Moor, Scott Millar, Ian Huddleston, Natasha Kim, Peter Hammerschmidt, Wendy Hadwen, Judith Bennett, Marc Mes, Taylor Paxton, Jean-Francois Morel, Stephen Kelsey, Genevieve Binet, Jaspinder Komal, Martin Gravel, David Yarker, Renee de Bellefeuille, and Walter Norquay

• Cohere has filed a new record with PAA Advisory looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including policy and legislation as it relates to artificial intelligence (AI) and data protection, updating procurement policies, the Canada-US relationship, and AI Safety

• J.D. Irving has filed a new record looking to engage the Federal Government on everything. I'm only half joking. Defence-wise they wanna talk about the NSS and defence supply chain opportunities.

• Theon Sensors has filed a new record with Sussex Strategy Group looking to engage the Federal Government to discuss how best to improve transparency and competitiveness about defense procurement in Canada.

• Provincial Aerospace Limited has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Renee Filiatrault

• MDA Space has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Doug Guzman, Wendy Hadwen, and Kendal Hembroff

• Voltari Marine Electric has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Radey Barrack

• Magnum Integrated Technologies has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Radey Barrack

• Bombardier has also decided to meet everyone, filing multiple new communications detailing meetings with Ibrahim Yimmer, Mouhab Meshreki, Rachel Feeney, Crista-Lynn Ferguson, Shaye Friesen, Katie Durling, Kendall Hembroff, Barbara Gibbon, Colin MacNeil, Jean-Francois Courteois, Ian Wookey, Jeff Smyth Cathy Blue, Richard Jolette, Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, and Christiane Fox

• Telesat Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Wendy Hadwen

• Irving Shipbuilding has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Renee Filiatrault

• Voyageur Aviation has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Conor Lewis, Alexa Kalsatos, and Gwendolyn Culver

• L3Harris Technologies Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Christiane Fox

• CAE has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Stephen Fuhr, Mélanie Joly, and David McGuinty

• Maritime Launch Services has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Alexa Kalsatos and Andrew Green

• Wuxly has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Heather Sheehy, Isabelle Latulippe, and Conor Lewis

• Canada Rocket Company has filed a new communication detailing meetings with J.G.S. Marshall, Cody Pelletier, and Chris Horner

• Les dirigeables flying whales Québec has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Jeff Smyth and Pete Saunders

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• There is official speculation that CDS Carignan is on the way out. The expectation is that she will be done in the summer, marking her just under or right at the two-year mark since her tenure began.

CDS Carignan has been a relatively stable but uneventful figure by all accounts. The speculation is that the Carney government wants a new face, and that there is a belief she was not working fast enough for the Prime Ministers liking.

She wouldn't be the only one gone in the summer. The expectation is that Minister of National Defence David McGuinty will be out next cabinet shuffle to ride out the rest of his term in peace, and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy Vice-Admiral Topshee will also be out in June. Where he goes I don't know. Boivin is currently the early favorite to take the CDS role.

Keep in mind that in the last eight months we have also seen several notable figures including Deputy Minister of National Defence Stefanie Beck, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard Mario Pelletier, and Jamie Speiser-Blanchet appointed Commander of the RCAF.

We've also seen a massive reshuffling at the Associate and Deputy Minister level just a few weeks ago, and many believe more is to come. The Prime Minister has made Defence one of his prioirties, and the expectation is a lot of these changes and appointments are meant to build up what he sees as the team needed to lead the file at a time when he expects more results and faster pace than many have been given.

I won't speculate that some of these mught be purges of the dissatisfied and disloyal. I don't think that, however, it is clear the Prime Minister wants his people in charge, and has a vision in place. We will work to get more on this.

• Hanwha has reportedly been on the hurt for space. Rumors in Industry is that Hanwha has engaged several yards, including at least one of the big three about purchasing land or a yard outright ahead of a possible CPSP victory.

The speculation is that Hanwha has been engaging for future space for dedicated maintinence facilities on both coasts, with a desire to handle it under their banner as opposed to working with a dedicated shipyard as a partner. It aint like they can't afford it mind you.

No serious word on exactly who has been engaged. It seems like any talks have been speculative and generally minor. It does not seem like there has been much more than basic engagement, however it is something to keep an eye on.

• There is finally some MCAV numbers to work with! We can now say that the preliminary budget set out for MCAV is ~$9 Billion. The project aims to acquire at least 250 tracked, Infantry Fighting Vehicles at this time. That can easily change though.

• Heavy Direct Fire Modernization is apparently not done with the modernization option yet. To backtrack from our previous reporting, while the desire is for a full replacement there is still an option that would see a modernization of the Leopard fleet. We previously said this option was dead, however it seems they're still keeping it on the table for now. There's also some word that HDFM might have gotten some actual funding.

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