Canada's Navy modernization sounds like a mess

[Indus Falcon]

Canada's Navy modernization sounds like a mess
by Jeremy Bender
May 4, 2015,

Canada's efforts to modernize its navy and procure a new fleet of warships is not going well.

Originally proposed in 2010, Canada had plans to spend $21.5 billion (Canadian $26.2 billion) for the procurement of 15 modern warships. The ships were intended to replace three destroyers and 12 frigates that were set for retirement.

However, the procurement process has run into a series of cost overruns and delays. Reuters reports that the procurement plan could easily run over cost while leading to the construction of fewer than the 15 intended warships.

"Do we think that the C$26.2 billion is going to become the sort of ceiling cost in the time frame we're talking about? Perhaps not," an anonymous official told Reuters. "We do have to constrain this. Do we land with fewer ships, as is happening with our allies?"

During a technical briefing in Ottawa on May 1, officials said that the new plan is now for the construction of "up to 15" warships with the $21.5 billion cost as a estimated starting point. The warships are intended to be built by Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax, Nova Scotia with the first ship to be ready by the middle of the coming decade.

However, before the ships can even begin construction the Irving Shipbuilding yard needs to finish its construction overhaul. Since 2010, according to Terry Milewski of CBC News, Canada has put $500 million dollars towards upgrading the Seaspan yard in Vancouver and the Irving yard in Halifax. And those yards, after their upgrades, have to finish building Arctic patrol ships for Canada before work can begin on the warships.

The construction of these patrol ships points to ominous signs for Canada's warship procurement, Milewski notes. Originally, it was only meant to cost $3.1 billion for six to eight patrol ships. Now, the project is costing $3.5 billion for five or six ships.

Canada's Navy sounds like a mess - Business Insider
@That Guy @Penguin @Taygibay @fatman17

 

[flamer84]

 

[Taygibay]

I'll get angry if I comment on that! Short answer, Yes this procurement is a mess and NO, it won't get better!

Strangely, most Canadians are pissed at Harper and yet, I wouldn't be surprised if he won next time too!
Go figure!!! Maybe Flamer found the flaw there …

Tay.

 

[Indus Falcon]

@flamer84 Would you like to comment on this article?

 

[Jlaw]

Canada has the protection from US and allies with no hostile neighbours. No need to spend so much on the military. Our economy can use $26b right now.

 

[Indus Falcon]

Canada has the protection from US and allies with no hostile neighbours. No need to spend so much on the military. Our economy can use $26b right now.

Your flags say you are Chinese in Denmark. So How does Canada fit into the picture?

 

[Jlaw]

Your flags say you are Chinese in Denmark. So How does Canada fit into the picture?

I live in Canada now. Not sure how to change the flag.

 

[Indus Falcon]

I live in Canada now. Not sure how to change the flag.

Go to this page:

https://defence.pk/account/personal-details

and in Location change your country

 

[Taygibay]

Ottawa says Irving Shipbuilding will build up to 15 combat ships - Nova Scotia - CBC News

The problem with @Jlaw 's idea is that the Great White North in such a reduction of navy size
would soon be taken over by the US and Russia. There is a renewed push for the Arctic reserves
and if Canada stays out of it, the likelihood of loss of sovereignty is very real.
The state of the Navy is really dismal with a couple stories that show it ( refueling ship stranded
in the Pacific last year on its way to an exercise near Oz ) and it would also mean downgrading
international commitments severely!

We'll see soon anyhow, Tay.

 

[Indus Falcon]

Ottawa says Irving Shipbuilding will build up to 15 combat ships - Nova Scotia - CBC News

The problem with @Jlaw 's idea is that the Great White North in such a reduction of navy size
would soon be taken over by the US and Russia. There is a renewed push for the Arctic reserves
and if Canada stays out of it, the likelihood of loss of sovereignty is very real.
The state of the Navy is really dismal with a couple stories that show it ( refueling ship stranded
in the Pacific last year on its way to an exercise near Oz ) and it would also mean downgrading
international commitments severely!

We'll see soon anyhow, Tay.

I don't think you should be using the word "SOON" for the Canadian Navy!!

 

[Jlaw]

Ottawa says Irving Shipbuilding will build up to 15 combat ships - Nova Scotia - CBC News

The problem with @Jlaw 's idea is that the Great White North in such a reduction of navy size
would soon be taken over by the US and Russia. There is a renewed push for the Arctic reserves
and if Canada stays out of it, the likelihood of loss of sovereignty is very real.
The state of the Navy is really dismal with a couple stories that show it ( refueling ship stranded
in the Pacific last year on its way to an exercise near Oz ) and it would also mean downgrading
international commitments severely!

We'll see soon anyhow, Tay.

Soon for Canada is decades down the road.

 

[flamer84]

Your flags say you are Chinese in Denmark. So How does Canada fit into the picture?

Not much to comment bro,it's the same story all over Western countries.Project A starts with a goal only to end up with delays and cost increases.If i were a military planner i'd always add a 20-30% increase at the start.What's more worrying though is that they'll probably slash the initial numbers of ships.And they will,be sure of it.

 

[That Guy]

I'll get angry if I comment on that! Short answer, Yes this procurement is a mess and NO, it won't get better!

Strangely, most Canadians are pissed at Harper and yet, I wouldn't be surprised if he won next time too!
Go figure!!! Maybe Flamer found the flaw there …

Tay.

Harper isn't going to win next elections. Most likely it's going to be Trudeau or Mulcair.

It's a mess, yes, but hopefully things will straighten out soon enough.

 

[Taygibay]

Harper isn't going to win next elections. Most likely it's going to be Trudeau or Mulcair.

Since that's what I thought the last time ( '11 ), I'll reserve belief and applause for if it happens!

Fingers crossed, Tay.

 

[Penguin]

In October 2011 the Canadian government announced in the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy that it would be ordering 15 warships under the Single Class Surface Combatant Project to replace the 3 Iroquois-class destroyers and 12 Halifax-class frigates, beginning in 2016.

The Halifax class commissioned 1992-1996, so they are currently about 20-23 years old. The Government of Canada announced on 5 July 2007 a $3.1 billion refit program for the Halifax class which will take place from 2010–2017 and extend the ships' service lives through 2030. The Halifax class will receive state of the art equipment able to handle modern threats through 2030. By which time, the ships will be 34-38 years old. I don't see a pressing problem here.

The Iroquois are of course old ships (from 1972), and they were converted to AAW. The entire class underwent major retrofits in the early 1990s as a part of the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project (TRUMP). These refits had the effect of re-purposing the ships for area air defence; following TRUMP the Iroquois-class were referred to as air defence destroyers. Only 1 remains in service, 2 await disposal and the 4th was sunk during SINKEX.

No replacement ship means the Canadian will soon loose their last remaining AAW ship (but, Halifax has 2x8 mk48 VLUs for Sea Sparrow, which could carry double that number of ESSMs, so is not defenceless).

Whether Canada gets fewer of the new ships isn't all that interesting, but whether it gets an replacement AAW capability (something with SM2 or SM6).