Canadian navy to receive sixth AOPS
The Canadian government will acquire a sixth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy, as announced by the Canadian Department of National Defence.
The additional AOPS will enhance the Canadian armed forces’ capabilities in the Arctic, as well as augment its presence on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The vessel will be constructed at Irving Shipbuilding’s shipyard.
The AOPS are designed to be used for a variety of missions at home and abroad, such as coastal surveillance, search and rescue, drug interdiction, support to international partners, humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
Three ships are in full production and steel cutting for the fourth ship is planned for winter 2018. The first AOPS is now in the water and is expected to be delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy in summer 2019.
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