21 janvier 2019 | Local, Naval
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN
HMCS Corner Brook will be the first Canadian submarine to be equipped with a new communications system.
The Universal Modular Masts or UMM for Canada's Victoria class submarines are part of an equipment suite provided by the Protected Military Satellite Communications project, according to the Department of National Defence. The estimated project cost for the submarine equipment suite, including installation, is approximately $70 million, while the overall PMSC project cost is approximately $592 million.
The Protected Military Satellite Communication project is in collaboration with the U.S. and other allied nations and provides the Canadian military with secure, protected, jamming-resistant satellite communications on a near world-wide basis.
The UMM will improve the Victoria-class as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform, according to the DND. The mast and its associated equipment suite will provide near real-time high-speed communications with shore.
Corner Brook is in its Extended Docking Work Period and installation of the mast is now underway. Babcock Canada Inc. is handling the installation under the aegis of the Victoria In-Service Support Contract. It is being done at CFB Esquimalt in British Columbia.
The equipment was acquired through a foreign military sales acquisition. The cost for PMSC-supplied submarine equipment, including UMMs, is approximately $35 million, according to the DND.
Installation of the UMM on Corner Brook will be complete in 2020. Installation on the other three submarines will be finished by 2026.
8 avril 2024 | Local, Terrestre
The U.S. ambassador to Canada is cutting Ottawa some slack on meeting NATO’s benchmark target for defence spending.
2 mai 2022 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
May 10th 12 p.m to 1 p.m | Free | Registration Required Towards a new era in Canada-US relations! On May 10th, we will have the honor and privilege of welcoming David L. Cohen, U.S Ambassador to Canada since December 2021. Mr. Cohen will share his vision and goals for strengthening the Canada-U. S relationship to support a sustainable and inclusive recovery for our economies. During a conversation co-hosted by Charles Milliard, President and CEO of the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce, and Garry Douglas, President and CEO of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Cohen will discuss avenues of collaboration to support SMEs in both countries, as well as opportunities for partnering to decarbonize our economies. REGISTER HERE!
25 avril 2019 | Local, Naval
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Canadian Forces and Department of National Defence has updated the status of a number of its major procurement programs including the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships which it says will be fully operational by 2025. Under the schedule the first ship is to be delivered sometime this summer to the Royal Canadian Navy but won't be operational until 2020, according to the update. Other ships will follow over the years with the fleet being declared fully operational in 2025, according to the schedule. Each ship will go through various tests and sea trials, with ships being brought on line as those are finished and crews are trained. The Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, or AOPS, being built by Irving Shipbuilding, were announced in 2007 by then prime minister Stephen Harper. The vessels were supposed to be in the water by 2013. But the program has faced delays. Critics have also questioned why Canada is paying around $400 million per ship when Denmark received similar vessels for $70 million each. In November 2018 the Liberal government announced it was building a sixth Arctic patrol ship to add to the five originally commissioned from Irving Shipbuilding. But it acknowledged that ship will cost taxpayers $800 million — double the price-tag of each of the other vessels. The Liberal government announced the construction of the sixth AOPS after a push by Irving and its employees for additional work. The project was originally to build five AOPS and only proceed with a sixth if Irving could find savings and work within the existing budget. That didn't happen, Department of National Defence officials noted. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/arctic-offshore-patrol-ship-fleet-to-fully-operational-in-2025-says-dnd