Canadian Offshore Patrol Ship contract awarded
The Public Works and Government Services department of Canada has awarded a contract for six Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) to Irving Shipbuilding, the department announced on 23 January.
Under the contract worth C$2.3 billion ($1.85 billion), the company will construct six AOPS as part of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy.
Construction of an initial block for the first AOPS is scheduled for the summer, while full production will commence in September 2015. Delivery of the first HMCS Harry DeWolf class ship is expected in 2018.
The new DeWolf-class Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships will be equipped with state of the art sensors and will also be able to operate and support the new CH-148 Cyclone naval helicopters. Operating in conjunction with other capabilities of the Canadian armed forces and the Canadian Coast Guard, the DeWolf-class ships will play a critical role in the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Arctic.
The AOPS will have a number of capabilities, including: the ability to operate in first-year ice up to one metre in thickness; the ability to sustain operations for up to four months; command, control and communication capability to exchange real-time information with the armed forces maritime security operations centres; modern surface search radars; and a gun armament.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
South Korea advances next-gen naval concepts for future force needs
HHI and Hanwha Ocean outline highly autonomous and unmanned-enabled designs as the ROKN explores force structure for the 2030s and beyond.
-
US Navy seeks industry partners to address pressing research needs
The Office of Naval Research will host an Industry Engagement Day in August aiming at building new partnerships and advancing its science and technology initiatives in multiple areas.
-
Raytheon awarded $1.2 billion in contracts for AN/SPY-6(V) radars for the US Navy
Under the most recent contract, the US Navy will receive four additional AN/SPY-6(V) radars, increasing the number of radars under contract to 42. The radars are considered key for expanding the navy’s capability for air defence.