Second New Zealand Navy frigate arrives in Canada for combat system upgrades

Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana has arrived in Canada to start her combat management system upgrades.

The ship pulled into Canadian forces base Esquimalt on March 12 and will be modernized at Seaspan’s shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia.

Te Mana is starting the upgrade after completing a five-month engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.

The first of two NZ Navy Anzac-class frigate, HMNZS Te Kaha, started the 10-month refit in March 2018.

The contract for the upgrade of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s two Anzac-class frigates was signed between the New Zealand government and Lockheed Martin Canada on April 29, 2014.

Under the terms of the contract, Lockheed Martin Canada is responsible for the design, installation and integration of the CMS and a combat system trainer for the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland, as well as the procurement of new sensor and weapon systems for HMNZ ships Te Mana and Te Kaha.

Lockheed Martin Canada’s CMS 330 combat management system was initially developed for Canada’s Department of National Defence and then modified for the Royal New Zealand Navy with Canada’s support.

In addition CMS upgrades, the frigates will also be receiving MBDA’s Sea Ceptor vertical launched, active Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (Maritime) – CAMM(M) which will replace the current RIM7P NATO Seasparrow missile system.