Halifax Class upgrades
PRIME MINISTER HARPER ANNOUNCES NAVY SHIP UPGRADESThis takes care of the Command and Control capability once the Navy begins retiring the 280s, but I fear it means no replacement destroyers/frigates are on the horizon anytime soon. I haven't heard anything recently on the AOR replacement either.
New equipment for the Navy and new business for Canadian contractors
5 July 2007
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced new upgrades to the Navy’s Halifax-Class frigates that will improve the Navy’s ability to protect Canadian waters while boosting employment in Canada’s shipbuilding sector.
“New updated equipment will make these ships stronger, safer and better able to do all the work we ask of them,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The result is that more than ever, our Halifax-Class frigates will be giant floating command posts – standing up for Canada at home and abroad.”
During the last 15 years, these frigates have been to the four corners of the world, performing every conceivable mission – from battling international terrorism and fulfilling international security agreements to providing aid to civilians in distress and assisting in search and recovery. The fleet’s most important job – maintaining the safety and security of sovereign Canadian waters – sees the frigates routinely patrol Canada’s three coastlines, protecting our borders from drug and human smugglers, terrorists, illegal fishing and polluters.
“One of the most important upgrades to our frigates will be enhanced command and control centres, giving Canadian vessels the ability to lead operations, not just participate in them,” the Prime Minister added. “All of the work done on the ships will be done in Canada, by Canadian companies, and this is great news for Canadian shipyards, their employees and their suppliers.”
The $3.1 billion modernization of the Halifax-Class frigates will begin in 2010, with the final ship being completed in 2017.
posted by WE Speak at 9:18 a.m.
8 Comments:
Damn. No cheese hat.
Surely, for $3.1B, we're getting more than just C2 facilities. Why no details?
Also:
“All of the work done on the ships will be done in Canada, by Canadian companies, and this is great news for Canadian shipyards, their employees and their suppliers.”
When you imply that companies must be Canadian-owned to do the work, that's pretty darn limiting, eh?
Damn. No cheese hat.
I was hoping for pictures of that.
Pork.
Mark
Ottawa
This announcement isn't pork and is surely isn't new. The details concerning the FELEX upgrade have been known for the last couple of years and very little has changed.
This is another Conservative Government attempt to take ownership over funding and a project that was initiated by previous governments in the area of national defence. I had high hopes for the Conservative government, but they just keep disappointing in the area of national defence by doing very little related to their electoral platform - instead rehashing projects that already exist to look like their own for the next election.
As for $3.1b worth of work, yes, there is a lot more than just C2 facilities. There's a long list of upgrades, which are described at the following link:
http://www.cdnmilitary.ca/?p=22
P.S. Above "admin" was by me. Forgot to change the name of my account from when I was using Blogger as a publishing agent at CdnMilitary.ca. Sorry for any confusion.
I meant pork, not in the sense that the work does not need to be done, but that as usual it will be done in Canada, to win votes, at a higher cost than otherwise necessary. But then most countries do that, foolishly, with Navy ships.
Mark
Ottawa
Ah, gottcha. Being a Newfoundlander, I'm too used to the use of the term "pork" meaning for work that isn't really needed to be done!
Cheers
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