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!
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
Defence Investment Agency awards contract to replace current Canadian Armed Forces assault rifles
Canada advances Defence Industrial Strategy to strengthen security, sovereignty and prosperity
GSTS gets Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency support for vessel management platform
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
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
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
Northern Ontario highways should be part of Canadian defence: NOMA
The 2026 Your Say Matters: Defence Team Well-Being Survey is now live! Complete yours today
S1 Sonia Bitca’s recovery from brain tumour reveals resilience
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.
The RFP for Avian Radar Systems for Cold Lake and Comox has been updated with new documentation
The RFP for Line of Communication Bridge Systems has been updated with new documentation
The RFP for the dry docking refit of CCGS Jean Goodwill has been updated with new documentation
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
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
L3Harris Technologies Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Christiane Fox
Maritime Launch Services has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Alexa Kalsatos and Andrew Green
• 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.












Thanks Noah. I usually find you here on substack, but found this article on Gander! Shared both! ✌🏻🍁