Canada's mine-warfare ships need their own defence

What could Canada acquire for mine warfare as it starts retiring the Kingston class?

The November 2025 suggestion is to consider the Type 32 approach, combining mine-warfare support with enough capability for the ship to defend itself.

The November 2025 proposal for a Kingston-class replacement begins with the protection needed by mine-warfare vessels. Small, lightly defended ships can require other escorts to protect them. Canada is judged unable to rely comfortably on that approach. Type 32 is suggested as a potential source for a ship able to support mine-warfare assets while retaining enough defensive capability of its own. The proposal concerns the relationship between the support ship and the rest of the fleet, without specifying an agreed Canadian design.