Next phase of Canada’s River-class destroyer program kicks off

A contract has been signed between BAE Systems and Canada’s Irving Shipbuilding (ISI), marking the start of the next major phase of the River-class destroyer program. 

As disclosed, the agreement follows the Canadian Government’s award of an implementation contract to ISI for the construction and delivery of the first three of 15 planned ships as well as the development and delivery of training, spares, and maintenance to support the ships in service.

BAE Systems has designed the ship to meet the Royal Canadian Navy’s specific requirements, and under this new contract will provide support and consultancy services throughout the build phase.

This will ensure that ISI benefits from the knowledge and learning gained across the UK’s Type 26 and Australia’s Hunter class programs.

“This contract marks a significant moment for the River-class destroyer programme and I’m hugely proud of our team for their collective hard work and determination to bring us to this point. As we move into this next phase, our expertise and collaboration with our industry partners will be key to delivering a world-class capability for Canada. Our team will play a crucial role ensuring the successful delivery of the first batch of three ships and we’re looking forward to the journey ahead,” Anderson Smith, International Programmes Director, BAE Systems, said.

“This is a major milestone for Irving Shipbuilding and for Canada. This contract validates more than a decade of hard work by industry and government and provides stability for the hard-working men and women who design, build and maintain Canada’s surface fleet,” Dirk Lesko, President, Irving Shipbuilding, added.

The River-class destroyer program is the largest and most complex shipbuilding effort undertaken in Canada since the Second World War. 

This Canadian surface combatant is based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 warship design being built for the Royal Navy and Australian Navy. The ships will have enhanced underwater sensors, radar, and modern weapons.

The vessels will support joint-force operations ashore, as well as missions conducted including counter-piracy, counterterrorism, intelligence and surveillance, humanitarian assistance, research and rescue.