Dr. Ann Griffiths, 8 June 2021
According to the procurement section on DND’s website (Arctic and offshore patrol ships - Canada.ca), the schedule for the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) is as follows:
- Cut steel for ship 5: 2021
- Ship 2 delivery: 2021
- Cut steel for ship 6: 2022
- Ship 3 delivery: 2022
- Ship 4 delivery: 2023
- Ship 5 delivery: 2024
- Ship 6 delivery: 2024
- Full operational capability: 2025
That means that starting this year, the RCN will receive a new AOPS every year. That’s great, but what is the navy going to do with them? One, perhaps two, will head North for the annual operation there, and one, perhaps two or three, will participate in Op Caribbe every year. What else will they be doing?
After the six RCN AOPS are built, there will be two more built for the Coast Guard, which presumably will take a bit longer as some adjustments to the design are made. Once the Coast Guard ships are complete, then there will be eight big, lightly armed ships doing something off the coasts.
And then on to the Canadian Surface Combatant. (We hope.)
2 thoughts on “Getting Ready for the Arrival of More AOPS?”
Looks like all of our 6 AOPS vessels will be “operational” in the RCN even before the first CSC Frigate build will start. There could be a bit of a crunch as well with the 2 CCG ships at the same time frame. Perhaps it would be better to give those Coast Guard contracts to Davie Shipyard so that the Frigate contracts could go ahead sooner?
With six ships, count on one to be conducting readiness training and one or two conducting maintenance. At least two in the Arctic during Nanook and in fact more than likely for the entire summer period and well into fall. Other missions include Op Caribbe, Op Projection in Africa and whatever the government of Canada wants them to do. They won’t be sitting alongside idle.