Lockheed Martin [LMT] delivered its team’s proposal for the next generation Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program two days before procurement closed, the company said Tuesday.
The company is partnering with Britain’s BAE Systems, Canada’s CAE, L3 Technologies [LLL], Canada’s MDA, and Britain’s Ultra Electronics to call itself Canada’s Combat Ship Team. The group is offering the Type 26 Global Combat Ship (GCS).
Image: BAE Systems
The UK Royal Navy previously chose BAE’s Type 26 for eight future ships. Lockheed Martin noted that because of its stage, there is no obsolescence in the design “and it therefore offers the lowest risk to build in Canada.” BAE first began manufacturing UK Type 26s in July.
The Type 26 is set to have a very low acoustic signature and be prepared for multiple roles including anti-submarine warfare, air defense, and humanitarian assistance.
The team noted that the Type 26 offering includes the Canadian-developed CMS 330 combat management system, which is already used in Canada’s Halifax-class frigates.
Lockheed Martin added that members of the Type 26 team are separately delivering on the last stages of the Halifax-class modernization project.
The company also underscored its approach exceeds baseline requirements with only small alterations to the Type 26.
Lockheed Martin said its offering “represents the lowest development risk and is underpinned by Canadian doctrine; interoperability with five-eyes nations and other NATO allies; ability to achieve safety certification and security accreditation; ease of operation, maintenance and sustainment; and ease of upgradeability to address future capabilities.”
The Canadian government announced in June 2016 it would use a procurement package based on the Total Ship Reference Pint. This translated into combining the efforts of a warship designer and combat systems integrator into one joined proposal.
Canada plans to decide on a final contract award next year, with construction set to start in the early 2020s by Irving Shipbuilding. The budget for the program covers $19 billion for 15 ships (Defense Daily, June 9).
The team individually highlighted its use of a pan-Canadian team with proven experience in performing complex defense contracts in the country with a well-established infrastructure and commitment to meeting procurement deadlines.
Anne Healey, BAE Canada country director, highlighted that with the UK Type 26 running ahead of the CSC, Canada would benefit from lessons learned in the UK program. “This schedule also allows Type 26 the opportunity to be the most advanced Canadian Surface Combatant,” she said in a statement.
Lockheed Martin Canada Vice President and General Manager Rosemary Chapdelaine said they have been the country’s combat systems integrator for 30+ years and will use its “proven collaborative partnership model to successfully manage the highly complex systems integration process– including integrating our CMS 330 Combat Management System with the Type 26 Global Combat Ship.”
L3 WESCAM President, Mike Greenley specified his company would deliver marine technologies, systems integration support, and through life in service support to the team in areas like integrated communications, electro-optic and infrared sensors, torpedo handling systems, and integrated platform management systems.
MDA asserted that winning the CSC award would “be a major enabler in achieving significant future MDA exports from Canada and the resulting growth in jobs and business in Canada,” company Vice President Dave Hargreaves said in a statement.
The Canada government previously said there were 12 eligible bidders for the CSC, but has not disclosed how many have submitted proposals.
Similarly, in August BAE submitted its own bid to Australia to build the Global Combat Ship-Australia, a variant of the Type 26, for that country’s SEA 5000 Future Frigate program (Defense Daily, Aug. 14).
Italy’s Fincantieri is offering its FREMM Frigate while Spain’s Navantia is offering a redesign of its Spanish Navy F100 to Australia.
Fincantieri told analysts in an earnings call earlier this month that the company will offer the FREMM to Canada in a join bid with France’s Naval Group.