The Government of Canada announced the award of an in-service support contract to Fleetway Inc. of Halifax, Nova Scotia. This contract will secure an expert team to store and manage thousands of critical ship documents, in addition to producing complex designs to support the installation of new equipment on board the ships. Valued at C$72.6 million for the first six years, with options to extend for up to 22 years, this contract will provide a full range of technical data management and systems engineering support services for the RCN’s fleet of Halifax-class ships. Their specialized knowledge and skills will make sure key information is up-to-date to support maintenance teams, and will enable the maintenance of the Halifax-class operational capability in support of CAF missions.
Awarded as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, this contract will ensure that the RCN and supporting shipyards continue to have the technical data required to support ongoing ship maintenance during planned docking work periods, while also providing local economic benefits. Work for the contract began in April 2020, and will continue until the fleet is retired in the early 2040s. This contract is expected to sustain an estimated 140 Canadian jobs. An initial contract of $72.6 million has been awarded to Fleetway Inc. for their services. It will be amended over the contract period based on the amount of work required for a total value of up to $552 million. This type of contract is fully compliant with the Government of Canada Sustainment Initiative, which ensures performance, value for money, flexibility, and economic benefits
Halifax-class ships monitor and control Canadian waters, defend Canada’s sovereignty, facilitate large-scale search and rescue activities, and provide emergency assistance when needed. The ships operate with and integrate into the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and coalitions of allied states in support of international peace and security operations. Introduced into service in the 1990s, the Canadian-built Halifax-class ships were recently modernized to remain operationally effective and relevant until the Canadian Surface Combatants enter into service. The Canadian Surface Combatants will replace the Halifax-class frigates and the retired Iroquois-class destroyers, and will ensure the RCN has modern and capable ships to monitor and defend Canada’s waters, to continue to contribute to international naval operations for decades to come.
