January 26, 2018 | Local, Naval
From National Defence
January 26, 2018 – Esquimalt, B.C. – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
The Government of Canada is committed to providing the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces with the equipment they need, as outlined in Canada's new defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged.
Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, announced the award of a contract in support of weapons systems that will protect Canadian ships and sailors over the next two decades. Valued at $704 million, this contract will also benefit Canadians, as it is expected to create and maintain more than 450 well-paid, skilled jobs across the country.
Under this contract, Raytheon Canada Limited will upgrade and support 21 Close-In Weapons Systems for the Royal Canadian Navy. These rapid-fire, radar-guided gun systems provide the most effective naval self-defence system available against close-in threats such as missiles, small ships, and aircraft. These systems are currently in use on the Navy's Halifax-class frigates, and will also be installed on the Protecteur-class joint support ships following their construction.
“Today's announcement is aligned with the goals we set out in Strong, Secure, Engaged – we are making strategic investments in the Royal Canadian Navy that will help protect our sailors as they conduct the full spectrum of operations in a modern security environment.”
– Minister of National Defence, Harjit S. Sajjan
“As a result of the government's ITB policy, Raytheon Canada Limited will make important investments in Canada to support well-paying, middle class jobs, foster economic growth and help spur innovation across the country in small and medium enterprises. That's how we ensure innovation works for all Canadians.”
– Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains
The Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) In-Service Support contract will be valid until late 2037, and comprises an initial 10-year service period with three options of five, three and two additional years, respectively.
The CIWS is the world's most widely deployed close-in weapons system and currently in service with 24 nations. This level of interoperability will allow the Navy to take advantage of future improvements made by our allies.
The Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy (ITB), including the Value Proposition, applies to this contract and will support the growth of a sustainable Canadian defence and marine industry. In addition, Raytheon Canada Limited has committed to investing in Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises and research and development activities.
Byrne Furlong
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
Toll-Free: 1-866-377-0811
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
October 8, 2023 | Local, Land, Security
Denmark's defence ministry aims to restart ammunition production after a 55-year gap to ensure its domestic supplies as the war in Ukraine creates increased demand for military hardware across Europe.
September 24, 2019 | Local, C4ISR, Security
Three years ago the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) charged the Canadian army with providing an inventory of all military bases and surrounding infrastructure. The Americans were looking to spot vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure that could be used in a potential cyber attack. The several-year-old request was detailed in a letter sent by former Norad Commander and U.S. Admiral William Gourtney to the Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, Jonathan Vance. In the letter Gourtney requested that Canada “identify and mitigate” potential areas of vulnerability on Canadian bases, specifically those “installations that are critical for accomplishing Norad missions.” The letter was delivered on March 24, 2016. Furthermore, it asked Vance to “advocate developing capabilities to respond to cyber incidents on CAF [infrastructure control systems] and defend CAF if required.” The request also expanded to identifying civilian infrastructure through cooperation with Public Safety Canada and “developing processes for reporting cyber incidents on the identified civilian infrastructure.” According to cyber expert, David Masson, vulnerability arises in “operational technology systems” that run tasks in critical infrastructure. Masson claims that these systems are extremely difficult to secure. “There's lots of them. Look at it as 50, 60, 70 different bespoke communications systems. There's no real standardization because they're so old. Many of them were never expected to be connected to the internet,” said Masson. Despite this, Masson claims that the systems can be reinforced and secured. https://www.thepostmillennial.com/norad-asked-canada-to-review-cybersecurity-around-civilian-infrastructure-and-army-bases/
April 6, 2021 | Local, C4ISR
Spurred on by recent quantum computing milestones, a global “quantum race” is underway—but Canada is still without a strategy.