www.vanguardcanada.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 19
I believe that the Future Fleet of modernized
Victoria-class submarines, Canadian Surface
Combatants, Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore
Patrol Ships, and Protecteur-class Joint Support
Ships will fight in a different environment than
today. These ships will need to engage with an
increasing array of digital, soware-defined,
and data-centric systems.
interview
FUTURE FLEET
Q To begin, please
provide us with an
overview of the Direc-
tor General Naval Force
Development (DGNFD)
organization and how
it interfaces with CAF
Force Development
requirements under the
Chief of Force Develop-
ment?
As Director General Na-
val Force Development
(DGNFD), I am responsible
for the strategic development
of the RCN Future Fleet in-
cluding capability concepts, infra-
structure, and requirements from
an operational, material support,
and information warfare perspective.
As a result of Strong, Secure, Engaged,
planned investments in the RCN will re-
sult in a navy that is designed and struc-
tured to project naval power at sea and also
able to contribute meaningfully to joint
action ashore and support the sustainment
of joint operations from sea. Further, the
RCN will have more capable means to op-
erate in the Arctic, alongside the Canadian
Coast Guard, and a more comprehensive
ability to contribute to capacity building
with partner nations around the world.
The Naval Force Development (NFD)
team develops and manages the execution
of activities that conceive, design, build,
and manage the introduction of new or
modified capabilities in order to achieve
desired effects during defence operations,
activities, or services. We do that by focus-
ing on:
• Delivering Future ships;
• Developing RCN Innovation
Programme;
• Digital Navy;
• Maintaining combat relevancy and
effectiveness of existing platforms;
• Evolving the Naval Force Development
Enterprise;
• Conceptual and Doctrinal Underpin-
nings; and
• Managing Shore-Based Infrastructure to
support the fleet.
These responsibilities are shared between
myself and Director General Future Ship
Capability (DGFSC), with RAdm Donon-
van being specifically accountable for Ma-
jor Crown Projects (i.e. new ships), New
Capability Introduction, Naval Innova-
tion, and Digital Navy.
