Fincantieri and its subsidiary Vard signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Heddle Shipyards, Thales Canada and SH Defense, to establish the collaboration that will propose the Vigilance-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for the Royal Canadian Navy.
The project is part of the Government of Canada’s forthcoming naval acquisition strategy to replace the Kingston-class maritime coastal defence vessels.
The Vigilance class vessels will be designed, built, and equipped in Canada. The ships will strike the balance between flexibility, modular adaptability, and size, according to the partners.
They will be able to operate in any type of scenario, from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to subsea infrastructure protection, mine counter measures, maritime interdiction and unmanned operations.
Fincantieri’s contribution in this project will be strategic, providing its leadership in the construction of high-tech ships, system integration, supply chain and program management.
The agreement will also benefit the Group companies thanks to the supply of electronics, mechanical systems and components.