TSAMTO, August 11th. Germany, Norway and Canada have started joint planning of the Type 212CD (Common Design) submarine construction program together with the German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).
This means that the trilateral cooperation of the NATO countries is moving into the operational phase and approaching the conclusion of an official contract.
Representatives of the three countries, as well as specialists from TKMS, the Norwegian company Kongsberg and the consulting firm Multiconsult participated in a four-day planning meeting held in Kiel (Germany) at the end of July. The event was the first joint planning meeting within the framework of the 212CD program with the participation of Germany, Norway and Canada.
During the negotiations, further stages of the program's implementation, issues of forming multilateral working structures, as well as preparations for the upcoming contract negotiations were discussed. In addition, the parties laid the foundations for cooperation between the military fleets, procurement organizations and industry of the three countries.
The Kiel meeting took place three weeks after the Government of Canada selected TKMS as the preferred supplier under the Canadian Patrol Submarine Program (CPSP). Under the terms of the decision announced on July 6, 2026, Canada is considering the possibility of acquiring up to 12 Type 212CD submarines with the transfer of the first four units to the fleet by 2034.
Thomas Koepp, Sales Director at TKMS, said that choosing the company as the preferred supplier for CPSP is a significant milestone, and that the first trilateral planning meeting lays the foundation for a trusting partnership between Germany, Norway and Canada. According to him, the 212CD program combines advanced technologies with a common vision of security and will contribute to the sustainable strengthening of naval cooperation within NATO.
TKMS noted that Canada's participation translates the 212CD program into the format of multinational NATO cooperation. The company also indicated that the initiative is aimed at strengthening security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.
The 212CD program has been implemented by TKMS jointly with Germany and Norway since 2017. The first contract for the construction of six submarines (two each for Germany and four for Norway) is worth about 5.5 billion. The euro was signed in July 2021. In December 2024, Germany increased its order to six units, and in January 2026, Norway also increased the number of submarines ordered to six, bringing the total volume of contracts between the two countries to 12 units.
Canada's joining the program could bring the total number of Type 212CD submarines ordered to 24, taking into account the German-Norwegian contracts already concluded. A final legally binding agreement with Canada is expected no later than the end of 2027.
The Kiel meeting opens a more intensive phase of cooperation between the three countries and TKMS. In the coming weeks, the parties plan to prepare the next steps to implement the program, while negotiations on formalizing cooperation will begin.
