Canada, Germany, and Norway forge maritime defence pact

Defence ministers from Canada, Germany, and Norway signed a letter of intent on Wednesday regarding forming a maritime defence alliance. The three countries will explore possibilities for closer cooperation in the North Atlantic, said Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair.

"Today, alongside German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Norwegian Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram, I signed a letter of intent regarding the establishment of a trilateral maritime security partnership between our countries," Blair wrote on X.

"As the international security situation becomes more unstable, working with like-minded allies is more important than ever. Together, Canada, Norway, and Germany will explore opportunities for closer cooperation between our countries in the maritime domain in the North Atlantic," he added.

In June, Blair confirmed in media statements that discussions are ongoing regarding forming a new defence alliance in the Arctic and that Canada, Germany, and Norway are involved. At the time, the minister drew attention to a cooperation letter concerning military procurement involving submarines, an area of cooperation between Germany and Norway. Public broadcaster CBC wrote then that the agreement could be broad and involve both defence industry cooperation and the creation of "interoperable combat platforms."

In May, the German news agency DPA reported on a meeting between Blair and Pistorius and wrote that the German minister invited Canada to participate in the Germany-Norway agreement on protecting infrastructure in Arctic areas. Pistorious urged to start a tripartite maritime strategic agreement that will focus on securing maritime communication lines through the North Atlantic and the Arctic. He handed Blair a letter on the matter, signed by the Norwegian defence minister.

In a new defence strategy published in April, the Canadian government emphasised that "our defence of the Arctic will be more essential than ever." It pointed to Russia's increasing military presence in the north, posing a challenge to NATO since northern Canada constitutes the alliance's western and northern flank. In the context of upcoming changes in the Arctic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau then announced a total defence expenditure of €52 billion over 20 years, including almost €6 billion over the next five years.

Ottawa plans to, among other things, purchase new submarines. On Wednesday, Blair announced that the government would order up to 12 such units.

Breakingdefense.com, an American portal specialising in defence industry news, in a report from Blair's visit to Washington in mid-May, quoted his statement that Canada's discussions with Germany and Norway involve the 212CD class (Common Design) submarine project. These are submarines whose production began last autumn by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems holding.