In the Dutch procurement, German ThyssenKrupp and French Naval Group are also participating. The Swedish-Dutch bid was submitted with the support of the Swedish and British governments. The offer also includes knowledge transfer from Sweden to the Netherlands, where the Dutch shipyard will handle final assembly, maintenance, and future updates.
This aligns with the government's defence industry strategy, as the agreement doubles the long-term employment and income opportunities for the Netherlands' marine industry with the replacement of the Dutch Walrus submarines by Saab-Damen, according to the press release.
The companies have thus agreed on a joint offer to Canada, which is also in the initial phase of replacing its diesel-electric submarines.
The Royal Canadian Navy announced a year ago that a submarine programme to procure up to twelve submarines will cost 60 billion Canadian dollars, or just over 450 billion kronor. The programme would mark a significant increase in ambition, as their current fleet consists of four Victoria-class submarines expected to be decommissioned sometime in the 2030s, according to an article in the Canadian Naval Review.