Why Canada Needs Submarines

On 18 October 2023, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander Royal Canadian Navy, spoke to RUSI(NS) and guests with a presentation titled “Why Canada Needs Submarine.”

The submarine’s combination of stealth, persistence and lethality make it the most powerful tool available for defending Canadian waters and our three oceans. A submarine is the only platform with the ability to stay on patrol in an area for weeks rather than hours or days whilst remaining undetected. A crewed submarine ensures effective command and control and the ability to decide if/when to use lethal force. The advantage of knowing what others are doing in Canada’s ocean approaches and in the defence of North America when they do not know they are being watched is a capability unique to submarines: they offer a proximity and persistence that is unmatched by any other sensor or platform, even space-based, in the maritime environment. Modern submarines employ very capable sensors both below and above the ocean’s surface to produce covertly a comprehensive picture of what is going on within their patrol area, significantly contributing to NORAD’s maritime warning mission

A PDF of VAdm Topshee’s slides is available here.