Seaspan Shipyards has announced it has begun the next step in the design and engineering phase of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Multi- Purpose Icebreakers (MPI) program. (Artist’s concept courtesy of Seaspan)
By Tim Ryan and David Pugliese
Seaspan Shipyards has announced it has begun the next step in the design and engineering phase of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Multi- Purpose Icebreakers (MPI) program. The firm noted that the Functional Design Review Meeting for the first flight of six MPIs was successfully completed June 19. So, the company is now working towards the start of the production drawings in preparation for future construction.
The Canadian Coast Guard intends to build up to 16 MPIs. Those will be broken down into three flights. Each flight will have variations in the mission profile and overall make-up of the vessels. Functional design for these vessels is being done in-house at Seaspan, the firm pointed out. Design work on the MPI program is on schedule and under budget, it added.
The MPIs will be Polar Class 4 icebreakers. They will be designed with advanced capabilities, such as continuous icebreaking in heavy ice conditions. The ships will be able to carry out multiple missions, including maritime search and rescue, environmental response, and maintaining Canada’s marine navigation system of about 17,000 navigation aids. The first flight of MPIs will replace the existing High Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels and Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels, according to Seaspan.
Since Seaspan has a detailed 3D model of the ship and its systems complete, it considers the MPI design as a mature, adaptable icebreaker. As a result it could be customized to the needs of the U.S. Coast Guard or those of other countries who are looking for an icebreaker, the company pointed out.
John McCarthy, CEO, Seaspan Shipyards pointed out in a statement that the MPI program represents a significant part of the firm’s portfolio under the National Shipbuilding Strategy and will set the stage for long-term shipbuilding opportunities Canadian workers.
The Multi-Purpose Icebreakers have a displacement of more than 8,500 tonnes; they will be 99.9 metres long and 20.3 metres wide, and able to accommodate up to 50 personnel. They will be able to break one metre of ice continuously. The Canadian Coast Guard will use the ships for year-round operations in Canada’s eastern and western seaboards, within Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); year-round operations in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes; and summer operations in the western and lower Arctic.
In the meantime, Seaspan also announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with the United States' Bollinger Shipyards and Finland's Rauma Marine Construction and Aker Arctic in order to deliver the lowest-risk, fastest delivery of Arctic Security Cutters to the U.S. Coast Guard. Together, the four firms point out that they represent the world’s premier icebreaker shipbuilding companies, and leverages the trilateral ICE Pact framework between the United States, Canada and Finland. The Seaspan-Aker Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design is the optimal design to meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements as it exceeds all ASC requirements and is production ready, allowing for delivery of the first vessel within 36 months of award.
Meanwhile the naval project that has industry officials buzzing is the proposed new fleet of Continental Defence Corvettes.
DND spokesman Kened Sadiku said the Royal Canadian Navy is prioritizing investment in platforms that enhance operational capability rather than simply replacing existing assets. “With potential features like a sixteen-cell vertical launch system, these corvettes would add depth and flexibility to the fleet,” he told Esprit de Corps.
The RCN envisions the ships as designed to operate independently. “These platforms would provide Halifax-equivalent capabilities for missions not requiring high-end combat systems,” Sadiku noted. The missions would include patrol, interdiction, anti-piracy, and humanitarian assistance. The ships would also support continental defence, maritime security, and personnel generation, while leveraging automation to reduce crew size and cognitive load.
“The Continental Defence Corvette project aims to deliver a modular, autonomous, and globally deployable platform capable of fulfilling a wide range of roles, including mine countermeasures, disaster response, SAR, and coastal patrol,” Sadiku explained. “Modularity enables rapid reconfiguration for mission-specific needs, while autonomy allows integration of unmanned systems (UAS, USV, UUV), enhancing operational reach and reducing risk to personnel.”
The Royal Canadian Navy claims it does not know at this point how many ships it wants built or the timelines for such a project. “The project is in its early planning and concept development phase, so details such as ship numbers, timelines, and cost estimates are not yet finalized,” Sadiku told Esprit de Corps. “Force Development and Naval Strategy teams are currently defining requirements and analyzing capabilities. As the initiative progresses, clearer projections will be developed and communicated through formal defence planning channels.”
Other contracts are also being touted as bolstering the capabilities of the RCN. MDA Space Ltd. announced Aug. 5 that it has been awarded two contracts to equip the Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class ships with up to six new Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS). Part of the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (ISTAR UAS) project, these new systems will significantly enhance the RCN’s ability to detect and monitor potential maritime threats, both at home and abroad, MDA Space pointed out.
The award includes an acquisition contract valued at approximately $39 million for the initial procurement of two UAS with options to procure four additional systems, and an in-service support contract, estimated at $27 million over an initial five-year period, to sustain operations. The in-service support contract includes provisions which enable extensions to the sustainment services for up to 20 years.
Existing Halifax-class ship sensors, including the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter will continue to provide ISTAR data-gathering capabilities until the project is able to deliver an UAS for use by the Royal Canadian Navy.
In other news, QinetiQ was a critical enabler once again with its support to Cutlass Fury 2025 (CF25), a multinational naval exercise held earlier this year off the coast of Canada. Organized by the RCN, the biennial exercise brought together forces from Canada, Denmark, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, to enhance anti-submarine warfare and air-maritime integration capabilities.
QinetiQ has taken part in four previous Cutlass Fury exercises providing target support. For the latest exercise, QinetiQ Target Systems delivered a range of uncrewed systems, including 12 Vindicator Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Targets (UAV-T) and 6 Hammerhead Uncrewed Surface Vehicle Targets (USV-T), with each RCN vessel carrying two targets to support CF25 operations and effectively simulate real-world threats for the participating naval forces.
QinetiQ deployed a team of six personnel to operate the targets throughout the exercise. This year’s training included anti-air and surface gunnery exercises conducted in cooperation with other RCN ships.
