This Week in Defence (9/22/25): Korea vs. Germany, HIMARS, The new DIA, More Toyotas, News in the Pipeline.

Want to support True North Strategic Review and my work? Consider a small donation to our Kofi or Substack Premium! Is your company interested in appearing in our newsletter? Consider one of our sponsorship plans. Limited spots available!

---

Happy… Tuesday? Im a day late AGAIN this week! I sadly had a school event yesterday that took up my afternoon. I also had to go out to some appointments today so we get another late release!

I promise I will get back to Monday releases lol. I know many of you don't mind but I like it on Mondays. Its a good way to start the week.

Anywho, Lets get into the news!

---

News

• CanadaxEurope covered DEFSEC this week in amazing detail! I love their newsletter. I highly recommend you add it to your reading list.

• BREAKING: Prime Minister Carney announces the creation of the Defence Investment Agency

• Canadian Army releases Capstone Operating Concept, the second major document of restructuring.

• BREAKING: U.S State Department approves sale of HIMARS to Canada

• Let's talk with Noah (10/06/25): LUSV, LAV stuff, AOPS to the Coast Guard, Ro/Ro, SAFE, building Submarines

• Canadian Ambassador to South Korea Confirms Hyundai Heavy Industries' Submarine Construction Capabilities

• BluMetric and DNG Defence Sign Memorandum of Understanding at DEFSEC Atlantic 2025 to Advance Sovereign, Sustainable Solutions for Canada

• Seaspan, Genoa sign contract for technical design services on heavy polar icebreaker

• Secretary of State (Defence Procurement) Stephen Fuhr meets with German officials

• TKMS hosts Supplier Days events, to host further events in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver

• Reaction Dynamics signs new MOU with Australian Space Machines Company

• Japanese MOFA: Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers

• HANWHA OCEAN MEETS WITH MORE THAN 35 CANADIAN COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS AT DEFSEC 2025

• CCI Launches the Canada Defence Procurement Readiness Program

• Creative Destruction Lab announces CDL Defence, a global initiative for dual-use technologies

• Bombardier’s Global 7500 Jet Soars to New Heights With its 150th Speed Record, Building on its Industry-Defining Record-Setting Performance

• Where was Mr. Fuhr today? (03/10/25)

• Calian Acquires Canadian-based InField Scientific, Expanding Company’s Electromagnetic Security and Control Capabilities

• Canadian Space Agency Awards $1 Million R&D Contribution to Canadian Space Mining Corporation to Power the Future on the Moon

• Volatus Aerospace and VoltaXplore Sign LOI for Canadian-Made Battery Supply to Power Next-Gen Drones

• Hanwha Ocean sponsors 2025 Imjin Hockey Classic

• CURTISS-WRIGHT AWARDED $25M CONTRACT TO PROVIDE AIRCRAFT HANDLING SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT FOR ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY RIVER CLASS DESTROYERS

• Korea and Canada Hold the First Director-General-Level Foreign and Defense (2+2) Meeting

• Military’s own study finds harmful contaminants in Moose Jaw base building

• The missing piece in Canada’s defence industrial strategy

• ‘It is incoherent policy’: Why a Canada-U.S. Golden Dome missile defence deal would be a mistake

• Mark Norman: New defence procurement agency helps, but more needs to be done to secure Canada

• PHOTOS: Victoria residents get a closer look at Canada’s naval fleet

• HMCS Corner Brook returns home to Esquimalt after two-month deployment

• Meet Doug Guzman, the high-flying banker in charge of rearming Canada

• Marco Mendicino: How Canada’s new defence agency will build national strength

• Canada not angling to get out of F-35 contract with U.S., says head of defence procurement

• Canada got 'lazy' buying U.S. military gear: MP in charge of defence purchases

• Canada to Conduct Drone Detection Trials Over Downtown Ottawa

• Government-led push sparks investor interest in naval defence, infrastructure in Canada

• Retired Royal Canadian Air Force officer pleads guilty at court martial

• Naval Museum hosts veterans to mark 35 years since Gulf War deployment

• CANSOFCOM hosting virtual job fair October 9

• Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Why early detection matters

• Braiding Indigenous and Western knowledge

• Fall edition of the Official Languages newsletter: Towards more leadership, inclusion, and innovation

• Marking 10 years: The Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre welcomes a significant change

• CDS & CAF CWO Message: CAF Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment

• Veterans Horse Camp: A chance to rediscover yourself

• “Minimal Value” demystified: Small gifts, big impact on integrity

• Help shape the future: Join the Women in STEM talk on innovation, resilience, and leadership

• Come out together as allies on National Coming Out Day

• Resiliency is our strength | A message from the Defence Team Mental Health Champions

• Defence Team 2SLGBTQI+ Champions mark National Coming Out Day 2025

---

Project Updates

• A new RFI for Reconfigurable Training Systems and Developmental Architectures for naval platforms has been released.

• The RFP for Phase II of the Commercial Pattern Armoured Vehicles (CPAV) initative, which aims to acquire a small number of Toyota Land Cruisers and Hilux that are not related to LUV, has been updated with new documentation.

• The RFI for CHER bundle 6 have been updated with new documentation.

• The RFP for the RCMP Next Generation - Police Coastal Patrol Vessels has been updated with new documentation

---

Lobbying Updates

• Armament Survivability has filed a new record with the Fortin Consulting Group lookingnto engage the government on future support to Ukraine.

• Reaction Dynamics Lab has filed a new record with MERCURE Conseil looking to engage the government on policy primarily related to space and space-based activities.

• Association of Canadian Port Authorities has filed a new record with Sandstone Group looking to engage on multiple topics.

• Draganfly has filed a new record with Rubicon Strategy looking to promote their Unmanned Aerial Systems for both domestic use and support to Ukraine

• Theon Sensors has filed a new record with Sussex Strategy Group looking to discuss fairness and transparency in the defence procurement system. Guys. You lost. It sucks, I know but come on do you really need to hire a lobbyist for this?

• Roshel has filed a new record with Sandstone Group looking to promote its Senator, Captain, and various other armoured vehicles both domestically and abroad.

• Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH has filed a new record with PAA Advisors looking to engage the Federal Government on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP)

• Bombardier has filed new communications this week detailing meetings with Stephen Fuhr and Arianne Reza

• Bell Textron Canada Limited has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Renee Filiatrault

---

Rumors & Speculation

• We should be hearing about that little Anti-Tank mine program soon

• We should also be getting more on IAMD and our role in Golden Dome soon. There is an openness to participating in at least some aspects. Reminder that the RCAF has been doing its own IAMD study for a while now.

• The Orca-Class replacement seems to have been bumped up in priority. There are some preliminary talks at least of what will replace them. We should also hear in the next few months about ‘New Orcas’ to replace the loss of the Kingston-class inbthe training role. What those look like is yet to be seen.