Will the UK pick a side in CPSP?
Noah Note
Korean media is reporting that British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks paid a visit to Hanwha’s Geoje shipyard yesterday. The ambassador was invited to the yard not only to inspect the construction site of the Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine, but to emgage on the status of Korea-UK cooperation as set out in the 2022 MOU regarding cooperation on Defence Exports.
Of course the UK has a keen interest in the KSS-III given the heavy involvement of British companies in the platform. The most notable of course is Babcock, whom provide several subsystems for the KSS-III including the Weapons Handling System.
The available media did provide some quotes from the ambassador and Steve Jeong, Vice President of Hanwha Ocean’s Specialized Vessel Overseas Business Unit (who you might remember from our podcast!):
“The Teaming Agreement between Hanwha Ocean and Babcock is a representative example of the MOU for joint defense exports being promoted by the Korean and British governments. The strategic partnership between companies from both countries will serve as an important foundation for expanding cooperation in various defense industries in the future.”
Colin Crooks
British Ambassador to Korea
“The cooperative structure that combines the technological prowess of both Hanwha Ocean and Babcock and their experience in naval projects will be a practical and sustainable solution for the Canadian submarine project. Through the CPSP project, we will do our best to not only strengthen the Canadian Navy’s capabilities but also contribute to the development of the local industrial ecosystem.”
Steve Jeong
Vice President of Hanwha Ocean’s Specialized Vessel Overseas Business Unit
You might be wondering what I'm getting at here, since I'm writing this very weird and out of style. If you remember a few months ago we first discussed the idea of the United Kingdom throwing their political backing to Team Korea to try and stir a CPSP decision.
“German broadcasters WDR and NDR reported that the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project has apparently caused quite the diplomatic stir between Germany and the United Kingdom. Of course it's not the only one, British support for Saab in the upcoming Orka project in Poland has also apparently drew ire.
Nevertheless, the situation is intense enough that both Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) raised a complaint with London about this behavior. Chancellor Merz reportedly raised the issue directly with Prime Minister Kier Starmer last week.
This all ties back to one person it seems Babcock. Currently working with Hanwha, the two signed a Teaming Agreement back in September under which Babcock will be the exclusive provider of In-Service Support should the KSS-III be selected. Babcock is also the lead on Team Victoria-class, providing ISS for the Victoria-class Submarines.
Babcock is also seemingly going to be heavily involved in Saab’s work in Poland should the A26 be selected, and unlike our rumored, it would appear that the Prime Minister did send a letter in support of the acquisition.”
Evidently that Polish-Saab decision did end up coming to fruition funnily enough. For quite a while now I have been trying to dig up more info on this apparently spat and the mythical letter that was supposed to be sent to Prime Minister Carney. Until now though I have not been able to find much on it.
It's certainly a curious dynamic. Certainly the British have a vested interest in securing their own Defence Industrial Base as set out in their own Defence Industrial Strategy released last September (you can read about that in the november article) and Babcock is certainly one of the major companies you would like to support.
At the time a few people questioned me about why a Canadian project would cause such a scene, and why it is so important. I think even now with Germany and Korea many struggle to understand the hype and why bith sides seem so committed to pleasing us.
I think it's easy to forget that CPSP is absolutely massive in scale. Outside the failed Australian purchase, an order for twelve conventional submarines represents the largest single order of non-nuclear submarines in decades. The scale of this order can't be undersold.
Either option would see us as the platforms largest singular user. If I can use the 212CD as example, a potential twelve submarine order represents a doubling of the total number of 212CD planned. The Koreans it's more than double.
We're talking a program that, over it's lifetime, could be worth over a $100 billion in value. Thats such an insane number to say. CPSP still gives me that chill of disbelief. That such a massive number, such a massive increase to what we have. It almost feels a bit silly doesn't it? Like we're stealing contnet from the Canadian Power wiki…
At least thats me. I get excited, very excited. I love it. It's that kind of scale that lights my childlike sense of wonder instead of my usual cringy sarcasm you all love for some reason. It makes it a bit weird to me when people don't get that same wonder and excitement.
And yes, I have not been burned like many. I have not been hurt time and time again watching grand ideas fall to pieces. So perhaps I am living off youthful ignorance and overenthusiastic blindness.
I do feel we undersell ourselves and our value though. That's a Canadian thing. We like to box ourselves in, set outselves limits to what we can do and our value. I know I've spoken on that idea of the Canadian mentality a lot. We do have some ingrained issues and trauma as a collective we have to work through.
It's that reason I feel why people struggle to grasp and accept the interest in CPSP. I feel people aren't set up to accept that countries might see extreme value in courting us, that they would fight for our attention and friendship. In this case the value is present.
Most of the value in CPSP (as the evaluation) is tied into the long-term maintinence and sustainment of the future Canadian Patrol Submarine. For a company like Babcock thats expected to take the lead? That is tens of billions on the table. That is securing your established spot. That is setting yourself up for future opportunity.
So it would be no wonder that Starmers Britain is so keen to see them succeed here. Of course as of now I have not been able to find much actual proof of support, however this visit and some recent discussions I've had make me confident that the Brits have picked a side.
Whether they're public in that support I don't know. Perhaps? I have yet to hear of the mythical letter. Maybe Carney already has it, maybe he doesn't. Either way I expext it will come. I for one find this kind of gossip and the drama it brings exciting! I love a bit of drama, and CPSP has been a loop of the same peoppe and promises. Throwing in an official British backing to the pot would at least make things more interesting and juicy.
When you write about this stuff every week, over and over, you tend to get a bit dragged by the same stories, same stuff again and again. I promote companies being high-schoolers and being dramatic and catty with each other. It gives me stuff to write about.
Either way it's an interesting development, and an additional flashpoint for one to keep an eye out for. We might hear nothing between now and a downselection in the Summer, but might is not a no…
Interesting how an interest of one party can affect that of another (isn’t that how WW1 started?). In any case, I welcome the support of the UK, on this, CPSP RFP day!