On February 26, 2026, Canada’s Ministry of Defence announced that it awarded a contract to Safran Trusted 4D Canada Inc. to provide digital periscopes, as well as initial in-service support, training services for operation and maintenance, and onboard spare parts and testing equipment.
According to the social media announcement of the Canadian MoD, the periscope upgrade is a part of Canada’s Victoria-class diesel electric submarine modernization. The value of the contract is $118 million (excluding tax).
Installation of the periscopes will begin in 2030, with work expected to be completed by the end of 2033. The in-service support will begin once the first-of-class trials have been completed.
“The improved technical features and quality of the digital periscopes will significantly increase the RCN’s ability to conduct intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance.”
Canadian MoD on social media
Canada’s Victoria-class submarines form the core of the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) underwater surveillance capabilities. Covert, well-armed, and capable of patrolling vast distances, these submarines provide support to maritime law-enforcement in investigating narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and polluting cases, as well as conducting domestic and international operations.
Four Victoria-class submarines were purchased from the British Government in 1998, and delivered to Canada over a four-year period from 2000 to 2004. The first three submarines—Victoria, Windsor and Corner Brook—were commissioned into RCN service shortly after their arrival in Canada. The fourth, Chicoutimi, was delivered to Canada in 2004, but was not commissioned into RCN service until 2015, due to a fire in 2004 and subsequent work required.
Through the Victoria Class Modernization (VCM) project, these submarines are being modernized to allow them to continue operating in an evolving environment into the mid-to-late 2030s.
VCM is currently made up of 12 separate equipment upgrade projects. Nine are in the implementation phase and three are in the definition phase.
Most of the equipment acquisition and in-service support is being managed through separate contracts. Platform integration and installation of VCM equipment is primarily managed under the Victoria In-Service Support Contract (VISSC), a long-term contract with Canadian Industry.
Naval News comments
Safran’s non-penetrating optronic mast systems are already in service aboard French SSNs and SSBNs, and have been selected for several prominent international submarine programmes, including the Royal Netherlands Navy’s future Orka-class SSK, the Swedish Navy’s A19 and A26 SSKs, and the Republic of Korea Navy’s KSS-III SSKs.
It will be noteworthy to observe whether Canada ultimately opts to retain Safran’s optronic mast solution for its future Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), as such a decision would further consolidate the company’s position across a growing number of Western-aligned submarine fleets.
You can watch Naval News’ coverage on Safran optronic masts at the UDT 2025 exhibition in Oslo, Norway.
