Irving Shipbuilding Begins Construction Of Canada’s New River-Class Destroyer Fleet

Irvin Shipbuilding has begun the construction on the Production Test Module for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) and cut steel for the eighth and final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), accomplishing significant milestones under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).

The event was commemorated at the Halifax Shipyard and attended by the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defense and other prominent government and industry leaders.

According to the Canadian government, the Royal Canadian Navy’s future fleet will be known as the River-class destroyers.

Irvin Shipbuilding is under contract with the NSS to construct six AOPS for the Royal Canadian Navy, two for the Canadian Coast Guard, and 15 River-class destroyers.

The announcement is a crucial step toward full-rate production, scheduled to begin in 2025.

Blair stated that the River-class destroyers would provide the Canadian Armed Forces with the tools they require to safeguard our national interests for years.

BAE Systems designed the ships to replace the ageing Iroquois-class destroyers and Halifax-class frigates and outfitted them with enhanced sensors, radar, and contemporary armaments.

Image Credits: Irving Shipbuilding/X (Twitter)

The first river-class destroyer, HMCS Fraser, is expected to be in the early 2030s, followed by ships named Saint-Laurent and Mackenzie.

These destroyers will provide the Royal Canadian Navy with anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, long-endurance capabilities, and crucial escort vessels.

The Canadian Coast Guard’s AOPS editions will support missions such as fisheries enforcement, search and rescue, and icebreaking operations, strengthening Canada’s presence in the Arctic.

The NSS aspires to end Canada’s shipbuilding industry’s boom-and-bust cycles, rejuvenating the sector and ensuring national economic benefits.

Irving Shipbuilding President Dirk Lesko praised the efforts of over 2,400 Canadian shipbuilders involved in these projects.

A land-based testing facility will be constructed at Hartlen Point in Halifax as part of the support infrastructure. Construction will begin in the winter of 2025 and end in 2027.

Government officials, particularly Ministers Jean-Yves Duclos and François-Philippe Champagne emphasised these projects’ economic and job-creation benefits, highlighting the necessity of the River-class destroyers in ensuring Canada’s maritime defence for decades.

Reference: Irving Shipbuilding

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