Dan Middlemiss, 25 December 2020.
Murray Brewster reported on 23 December that an independent analysis reveals that the total life-cycle costs of the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) have risen to between $213 billion and over $219 billion [1]. The staggering sum reported by Alan Williams, a former senior defence official, has caught the attention of many in the defence community, and has apparently led the House of Commons government operations and estimates committee to seek a copy of the report.
Williams’ argument focuses on the issue of value for money, and suggests that the public has a right to know the long-term implications of any decision by Ottawa to proceed with the CSC project as it is currently structured [2].
This report, and the additional controversy it is certain to engender, evokes memories of the harsh debate over the full life-cycle costs of the F-35 fighter project some years ago.
This scrutiny of the true costs of the CSC is likely to trigger a fierce political debate on the CSC project just when Ottawa is trying to finalize a contract with Lockheed Martin Canada and Irving Shipbuilding.
Notes:
- Murray Brewster, “Battle of the budget: DND gears up to defend lifetime cost of new warships in the New Year”, CBC News, (23 December 2020). [Accessed at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/navy-frigates-cost-1.5851912]
- For the full report, see Alan Williams, “Estimated Costs for the Canadian Surface Combatants (CSC)”, Esprit de Corps, (20 October 2020). [Accessed at: http://espritdecorps.ca/eye-on-industry/estimated-costs-for-the-canadian-surface-combatants-csc]
One thought on “CSC Life-Cycle Costs Under Scrutiny”
I have read Murray Brewster’s and Alan Williams’ article with great interest. The defence industry briefing that has been “quoted” has as yet not been substantiated though. The life cycle costs of the CSC Frigate at first glance are “sobering” but in a 30-40 year life span of the CSC Frigate, not surprising. The Technical Risks that Mr. Williams provides are interesting but I believe some aspects of his comments are misleading. Especially when it comes to the AN/SPY 7 V 1 radar and the 5″ MK 45 gun. Originally, Lockheed Martin (LM) was one of three companies to work on the SPY 6 AMDR system for the Flt III Arleigh Burkes. When eventually Raytheon was selected in 2014 as the winning bidder for the SPY 6 AMDR, LM then turned their attention to the land based Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) they had already been working on which was certified by the US government as SPY 7 V 1 for both Japan and Alaska. LM then proposed a naval “scaled up or down” LRDR with Solid State Receiver (SSR) technology and Radar Module Assemblies (RMAs) for both the Spanish F 110 class and the CSC Frigates. It is anticipated that the “scaled” version of this radar (SPY 7 V 2) will be in service with the F 110 in 2026 with the CSC version around the same time or slightly later. LM has already produced eight Aegis ship sets to date ready for deployment. So, most of the technical issues have already been done. The 127mm 62 caliber MK 45 Mod 4 Naval Gun system along with the automatic loader will give the CSC Frigate an almost new gun system with the ability to fire the Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM) or the Vulcano Precision Guided Munition. Please read below:
http://www.canadiandefencereview.com/news?news/2781
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-62_mk45.php