Vanguard Magazine

24 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 www.vanguardcanada.com interView Q What are some of the big challenges you face today and what are the impacts that new programs, such as Innovation and Digital Navy, are having on the deliv- ery of the future fleet? I will speak on the innovation side, as that is something that is essential for ensuring we are procuring the ship of the future in- stead of a ship of the past. In meeting our requirements, industry looks at innovative ways to ensure the ship is designed to meet new and emerging threats. This pushes them in innovative direc- tions. Of course, we do not want to be highly developmental, but rather want to ensure we are getting the latest and best technology that is able to be updated throughout the life of the ship. Ships last a long time, and technology that can be updated through software and hardware is essential for something we will operate for decades in the future. One example of this is the development of a modern Command Management Sys- tem (CMS) that will bring together vari- ous sensors and systems in a shared digital infrastructure. This system will be able to be updated through software as modifi- cations are needed throughout the ships' lives. The CSC will also be able to take ad- vantage of greater bandwidth than we have seen before, analyzing and using big data, and being a critical element in a larger net- work than just itself – it will be an element of a greater system of systems. It will be, in all respects, designed for the digital age. The CSC will not only be about digital and data. The ship will be fitted with a Mission Bay. This is an innovative feature of CSC and will allow the RCN to inno- vate how it puts capabilities into the fleet and into the hands of our sailors. The use of modular sea container-based capabilities provides us with an innovative approach to getting additional capability into CSC at arguably lower cost than a refit or retro- fit of equipment into the extant platform. This will permit a flexible, innovative ap- proach that can facilitate change even mid- mission if needed. It is beyond anything we have had before. Q Can you briefly share from your per- spective, as the Project Director, about some of the current major naval projects being undertaken - the AOPS, JSS and CSC? The three project directors for AOPS, JSS and CSC work with me. All three of these ships that will be delivered in the order given, will bring new capabilities and help the RCN to serve Canada into the future. The AOPS will give Canada an increased presence in our Arctic waters as it is de- signed to operate in ice. They have been purposefully designed to be highly flexible vessels that allow the RCN to support and enable whole-of-government capability in support of other government depart- ments and agencies, as well as our ability to support their mandates in the North. AOPS will have a containerized and thus modular capability that will result in spe- cific loads for specific missions, whether to assist in joint operations in the North or with research activities. The JSS will provide Canada with two support ships that are designed for surviv- ability and will be deployable on all mari- time operations – something that has been absent from our fleet for some years now. They will offer the full suite of support to ships at sea and allow for sustained opera- tions of our fleet. They will also bring the ability for some sea-lift capability as it will be able to embark a limited number of sea containers and will have the ability to move cargo to support our maritime op- erations. This will allow them to provide support to disaster relief activities both at home and abroad. Lastly, CSC will provide Canada with a ship that will be the centrepiece of the future fleet. It will be able to operate ef- fectively against various threats anywhere in the world. It will be the right ship for Canada with systems that will support our activities well into the future. These three platforms truly reflect a modern and more capable RCN of the future. Q Finally, what can industry do to assist Canada in delivering future naval fleets? Industry is our key partner going forward as we design and build our ships, and they will continue to be close partners throughout the life of the vessels that are delivered. It is important for industry to understand our requirements clearly and to understand why the RCN is looking to meet these requirements. This way they will have the best insight into how to best deliver on those requirements. As a navy, we have worked hard to cul- tivate a professional relationship with in- dustry in order to assist them in under- standing where we are trying to go so they can make the best business decisions to assist. This relationship is critical, not just to our current projects, but to future ones and the National Shipbuilding Strat- egy as a whole. As the Commander of the RCN likes to say, shipbuilding is nation- building. Small boat trials, including with the Multi-role Rescue Boat, seen here in Conception Bay, Nfld., have been a component of Harry DeWolf's proficiency sail. Photo: DND.

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