Australian specialist battery manufacturer PMB Defence has been selected to supply batteries for one of the contenders for Canada’s new diesel electric submarines.
Under the multibillion-dollar Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), the country will acquire 12 submarines to replace the four aging Victoria-class boats.
So far, the procurement process has been narrowed to the KSS-III by Hanwha Ocean of Korea and the Type 212CD by TKMS of Germany.
TKMS has partnered with PMB, formerly Pacific Marine Batteries, to supply batteries which are critical to a conventional submarine’s endurance, safety and operational performance.
Should TKMS be chosen, PMB plans to establish a submarine battery facility in Canada, manufacturing batteries and providing in-service support, engineering and research and development capabilities and creating a sovereign industrial capability similar to that already in place in Australia.
“If TKMS/PMB is selected, it will mark another milestone in PMB’s rapid international expansion, strengthening its presence across allied nations,” the company said.
“It will also underscore Australia’s growing influence in advanced defence technology and highlight the nation’s capability to deliver cutting-edge solutions on a global scale.”
PMB chief executive officer Stephen Faulkner said as an Australian company delivering critical defence capabilities worldwide, PMB would be proud to expand into Canada and contribute to allied naval strength.
“This facility will create highly skilled jobs, grow advanced manufacturing and strengthen global submarine supply chains. Our work in AUKUS and partnerships with allies demonstrates the value of Australian innovation on the world stage,” he said.
Canada’s Victoria-class submarines are even older than Australia’s Collins boats. All were constructed in the UK as the Upholder class, with the first commissioned in 1990. Four were subsequently transferred to the Canadian Navy.
The replacement program began in 2021, with the aim of the first new boat entering service later next decade.
PMB is an Australian-owned, Adelaide-based company specialising in submarine battery technology. The company was founded in 1988 to supply batteries to the then new Collins boats.
It supplies its battery technology to navies around the world, including to Canada for the Victoria-class submarines.