Image source: topwar.ru
Lockheed Martin expects to complete a preliminary draft of the canadian surface ship by the end of this year, which reportedly will be an important milestone in the shipbuilding program.
Canada chose the project of the company in February 2019 and plans to acquire 15 ships worth up to 60 billion canadian dollars (up to 3.4 trillion rubles), according to information on government web site dedicated to the program of shipbuilding. The ship, which must perform a series of tasks from anti-submarine warfare to participate in the so-called humanitarian operations, will replace the destroyer class "Mohawk" class frigates Halifax.
Glenn Copeland, General Manager target systems of the canadian branch of Lockheed, said that the delay between the choice and consideration of the project reflects the importance of the programme for the Royal Navy of Canada. Also, according to him, the examination of the preliminary draft is of great importance, since it begins the revision of the "whole structure" of the ship.
— said General Manager of the canadian branch of Lockheed Martin a group of reporters on Wednesday at the Euronaval exhibition in 2022.
For Canada, it is important to correctly develop a draft programme CSC because the new vessel will represent a large part of the surface power of the Navy of the country, and the program has been thoroughly studied on the subject of cost and schedule in the country.
Lockheed proposed a new design of ship variant based on the BAE Systems Type 26. Canadian Irving Shipbuilding, General contractor CSC, entered into a subcontract with Lockheed for the design in February 2019, reported on the website of the government of Canada.
Copeland said that although Canada was very specific requirements for his new ship, the emphasis on anti-submarine fighting determined the initial design of a generic class.
In addition, Canada has decided that they want to be part of a missile defense capability that prompted Lockheed to offer include the Aegis weapon system, the radar SPY-7 and CMS 330, the derivative of the combat system used in the canadian Halifax class.
It is planned that the first CSC is delivered, tested and ready for operation at the beginning of 2030-ies.
