By Dan Middlemiss, 21 September 2023
It has just been announced that Lockheed Martin has been awarded approximately US $64m (C$85m) contract for the establishment of the AEGIS Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) land-based test site in New Jersey, USA, funded through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) from Canada. (https://www.naval-technology.com/news/canadian-frigate-aegis-capability-to-be-tested-at-us-site/)
In addition, we know that Canada is going ahead with a C$65M land-based systems test facility at Hartlen Point, Nova Scotia. This will be used to test navigation and communications systems, and, I assume their integration with Lockheed Martin Canada’s (LMC) CMS 330 combat management system.
However, I do not know where both the US and Canadian systems will be integrated into a final test and evaluation before being installed on the first CSC. Does anyone have any information about how these disparate systems will be integrated into a final test of systems compatibility?
4 thoughts on “CSC Land-based Test Facilities”
The system integration with CMS 330 will occur at the New Jersey AEGIS test center by the OEM. It’s not a new site but one that has been established since the 1970’s. Hartlen Point will have the Spy 7 and other CSC combat systems including AEGIS and CCM 330. Each ship’s combat systems will be tested and calibrated before installation on each CSC to save time. Additionally Hartlen Point will also test legacy CPF systems and how they interact with the CSC systems and act a training center for ship’s crews.
Ted,
Many thanks for your insights! Will the Sea Ceptor system be involved in the testing at Hartlen Point site as well, or will it be a separate, stand-alone system?
Excellent question Dan. I would suspect that all weapon systems (including Sea Ceptor) that are or will be fitted on the CSC Type 26 Frigate will eventually be able to be tested at Hartlen Point at some point (both Hard & Soft kill) with the Aegis CCMS 330 Software for crew training along with future weapons systems as they come on-stream. This facility will become an excellent training venue for all operations room and weapons personnel for both coasts at the present time until a West Coast training facility comes on line in the future. IMO. Cheers!
More than likely any arrays and fire control. The Sea Ceptor capability may be changing as well. All the CSE fit out will be integrated and tested between the AEGIS facility New Jersey which has been the AEGIS center of excellence since the 70’s, the LM facility in Halifax, the Pullen building in Halifax, Hartlen point and the facilities at Osborne Head.
Keep in mind that Hartlen point will be just testing and calibrating arrays and the actual equipment for the CSC which will be tested onsite before installation in the actual ship. There will be a trainer built on the West Coast but no similar facility as Hartlen point.