OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) announced today that it has been selected by Lockheed Martin Canada to support the design activity of the bridge and navigation capabilities for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) new class of Arctic/offshore patrol ships (AOPS). Lockheed Martin Canada is one of AOPS Prime Contractor Irving Shipbuilding’s Tier 1 suppliers for the AOPS project under the Canadian Government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). Under an initial contract, OSI will design the integrated bridge and navigation system for the new vessels.
OSI Maritime Systems President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Kirkpatrik said, "We are very pleased to have been selected for this very important Royal Canadian Navy project. The RCN and AOPS crews will benefit tremendously from our highly automated and user-friendly bridge and navigation systems, which have been operationally successful in navies around the globe.
"The integrate bridge and navigation system is critical to the operation of AOPS, allowing safe navigation and enhanced situational awareness in the rugged environment of Canada’s far northern waters to its busy coastal regions," added Kirkpatrick.
"This is a wonderful addition to the numerous Canadian programmes supported by OSI, which demonstrate our full range of logistics, services, manufacturing and technological expertise. We intend to engage more Canadian suppliers to support this important RCN programme."
The design work will be completed entirely in Canada at OSI’s Burnaby facility.
AOPS is a Government of Canada procurement project for the RCN. The project will equip the Canadian Forces with six to eight naval ice-capable offshore patrol ships able to assert and enforce sovereignty in Canada’s waters where and when necessary, including the Arctic. The first Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship, being built by Irving Shipbuilding, is scheduled to be delivered in 2018.
OSI, together with Irving Shipbuilding and Lockheed Martin (LM) Canada, are focused on working with the federal government to continually lower costs and establish the best value solution for Canada while optimising benefits across the country under the industrial and regional benefit programme. The teams will work together as the design matures and the requirements are finalised to find the most appropriate final solution for the AOPS programme.