With an aging and depleted fleet, Canada’s navy is unlikely to strike much fear in the hearts of its adversaries these days.

But a new government plan to purchase 12 modern, non-nuclear submarines that could do service under the Arctic ice has suddenly made Russia sit up and take notice.

As Moscow increasingly probes into Arctic waters, the planned expansion of Canada’s underwater force poses a “radically” altered threat, says Russian defence journalist Alexander Timokhin in an intriguing new article.