Ultra to provide towed sonar for CSC programme
Variable-depth sonar to equip 15 new vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy.
Lockheed Martin Canada has awarded Ultra Electronics Maritime Sonar Systems a subcontract to provide a variable-depth sonar for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) programme.
Ultra will provide its Canadian-made Towed Low Frequency Active Sonar (TLFAS) under the terms of the subcontract.
As the ASW lead in the CSC programme, Ultra is already committed to pairing TLFAS with a hull-mounted sonar.
The new subcontract moves the development of the CSC ASW capability beyond the programme definition phase and ‘into the full manufacture and delivery of the vessels’ suite of sonars’, Ultra noted in a 3 February announcement.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, the CSC vessels will replace Royal Canadian Navy Iroquois-class destroyers and Halifax-class frigates once these older ships are retired in the 2030s.
The CSC programme is expected to start in the early 2020s with the first of 15 vessels to be delivered by Irving Shipbuilding by the end of the decade.
However, the construction contract has not yet been signed — and Canadian budget oversight office PBO is set to release a report in February 2021 which is expected to describe an overall cost increase beyond the current estimate of C$69.8 billion ($52.7 billion).
Given the impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian economy and public finances, spiralling costs for CSC could threaten the future of the programme.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Global submarine suppliers compete for a rapidly shrinking market]()
Global submarine suppliers compete for a rapidly shrinking market
Diminishing submarine competitions worldwide are leaving fewer acquisition opportunities, pushing contractors toward alternatives.
-
![Future frigate programme highlights broader RNZN replacement challenge]()
Future frigate programme highlights broader RNZN replacement challenge
New Zealand’s evaluation of the Mogami and Arrowhead 140 frigate designs reflects a wider push for alliance interoperability, and points to a larger recapitalisation of the Royal New Zealand Navy fleet beyond the current programme.
-
![Industry agreements point to growing interest in Danish hybrid fleet concept]()
Industry agreements point to growing interest in Danish hybrid fleet concept
Babcock’s new Danish industry agreements have reignited debate over whether Copenhagen is edging towards a hybrid fleet blending crewed frigates with autonomous systems.
