Canadian surface combatant

The Canadian surface combatant (CSC) project, under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, will replace both the Iroquois-class destroyers and the Halifax-class multi-role patrol frigates with a single class of ship capable of meeting multiple threats on both the open ocean and the highly complex coastal environment. This project will equip the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) with 15 new, state-of-the-art warships to bolster Canada’s naval capabilities at home and abroad, for decades to come. The CSC project is the largest and most complex shipbuilding initiative in Canada since World War II.

The CSC ships will be able to conduct a broad range of tasks, in various scenarios, including:

• decisive combat power at sea and support during land operations
• counter-piracy, counterterrorism, interdiction and embargo operations for medium intensity operations
• the delivery of humanitarian aid, search and rescue, and law and sovereignty enforcement for regional engagements

The CSC project supports National Defence’s delivery of Canada's defence policy:

Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence

It also delivers on other important National Shipbuilding Strategy priorities, such as providing social and economic benefits for Canada through its Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy.

The project is currently in the definition (design) phase. The design team from Lockheed Martin Canada (LMC) was competitively selected to provide the CSC design, which is based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 frigate. The design team, along with Irving Shipbuilding Inc., continues to develop the final design for the CSC.

Construction activities on the first ship are underway on the production test module. The test module will allow the shipyard to develop and test project-specific build processes and establish new supply chains, as well as reduce costs by applying lessons learned to achieve efficiencies ahead of building the full ship.

In addition, work on developing the implementation contract for ship construction continues to advance.

• The Government of Canada, in collaboration with its partners, continues to prepare for the CSC implementation contract, with an estimated contract award date in late 2024 to early 2025
• Full-rate construction is anticipated to begin under the implementation contract in 2025

• October 2016: The CSC request for proposals (RFP) was released
• October 2017: The amended RFP was released
• July 2018: All bidders submitted final proposals, including financial bids and cured technical bids
• October 19, 2018: Preferred bidder was identified
• February 7, 2019: The design and design team contract was awarded to Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and LMC
• August 8, 2023: Canada announced an investment in the CSC project’s infrastructure at Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
  • The investment is expected to create or maintain over 800 jobs annually across various industries in Canada during the work period
• June 28, 2024: Start of construction on the production test module began