# Friedrich Merz

Type: Person

Source: Space & Defense Intelligence Brief — https://getspacebrief.com/entity/friedrich-merz
Canonical HTML page: https://getspacebrief.com/entity/friedrich-merz

## Timeline

- **2035**: Target defense spending reaches 5% of GDP — Carney's stated goal for Canada's defense expenditure relative to the size of its economy.
- **2034**: First four submarines delivered — With Germany and Norway freeing production slots, Canada expects to receive the first four of up to 12 new TKMS submarines, two years earlier than originally projected.
- **2026-07-06**: TKMS named preferred supplier — Prime Minister Mark Carney announces that ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems will build up to 12 new submarines, the country's largest procurement, beating Hanwha Ocean.
- **2026-07-06**: Carney pledges 5% GDP defense spending by 2035 — Carney reaffirms that Canada's budget already provides for 4% of GDP by 2030 and he intends to push defense spending to 5% by 2035.
- **2026**: Canada reaches NATO's 2% GDP spending target — After years of lagging, Canada meets the alliance's benchmark of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense.
- **1998**: Canada acquires Victoria-class submarines — Canada purchases four secondhand diesel-electric submarines from the United Kingdom, entering service the following years.

## Recent coverage (1 stories)

### Canada Taps ThyssenKrupp for 12-Sub Fleet in $10s-of-Billions NATO Push
2026-07-12 15:04:37 · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 7/10 · Sources: 4

Canada has named Germany's ThyssenKrupp as preferred supplier for up to 12 diesel-electric submarines, the largest defense procurement in its history, as it ramps NATO spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. The deal accelerates delivery to 2034 and reinforces Arctic undersea dominance.
Full story: https://getspacebrief.com/story/canada-thyssenkrupp-sub-fleet-arctic-nato

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