The largest part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy is the construction of the Canadian Surface Combatants (CSCs). The proposed 15 CSCs are to replace the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and the current fleet of Halifax-class frigates. In January 2015 the government announced that Irving Shipbuilding had been named the prime contractor […]
NAC Briefing Note
29 posts
It is usually a long process to procure new warships for the Royal Canadian Navy. Warships are both complex and expensive, so there are legitimate concerns about efficient use of taxpayer money. It should be noted that lengthy procurement processes do not just apply to warships - the Canadian Air […]
The National Shipbuilding (Procurement) Strategy (NSS) to build ships for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard was announced in 2010. That’s 10 years ago. So where are the ships? Some have been built but, as we’re learning, it takes a long time from the announcement that a […]
If you cast your mind back, you may remember discussion 10 years ago about a policy to build new ships for the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the fleets of the navy and coast guard received little attention. Ships got older […]
Did you know that Canada got its first submarines more than 100 years ago, during the First World War – and the first submarines were purchased by the province of British Columbia, not the federal government! The submarine arm of the Royal Canadian Navy has never been big, but it’s […]
What does a navy do during peace time? Good question. The work that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) does illustrates the classic roles of a navy - i.e., undertaking constabulary, diplomatic and warfighting roles, the three elements of Booth’s Triangle. In defence and promotion of Canada’s national interests, the RCN […]
If you don’t live near an ocean – and most Canadians don’t – you could live your whole life without ever seeing a warship. So why, you may ask yourself, does Canada need a navy? There are many reasons. Navies play three general roles – diplomacy, constabulary and defence. Canada […]
What are the threats to Canada’s maritime security? And why would someone living in Toronto or Saskatoon care about them? Threats to maritime security are threats to Canada’s sovereignty and economic wellbeing. Goods don’t magically appear in Walmart. They are shipped here via the ocean. There are threats out there. […]
The majority of Canadians live far from the oceans that surround Canada. They may be guilty of what has been referred to as ‘sea-blindness.’ But whether they know it or not, Canadians are affected by what happens on the oceans. This Briefing Note concludes: “The oceans have had and continue […]