Vanguard Magazine

14 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 www.vanguardcanada.com INTERVIEW both the Search and Attack Periscopes and the Flank Array Sonar. We will also intro- duce integrated information functionality and decision support tools, in order to provide better understanding of the envi- ronment in and around the submarine and support command decision making. We will also install an Atmosphere Monitor- ing System, which will help to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of submariners at sea. Survivability – We will help to reduce the submarines' acoustic and electro-mag- netic signature thereby reducing the prob- ability of counter-detection. This will be done through electro-magnetic signature management and the introduction of new propellers and hull forms to reduce cavita- tion inception and hydrodynamic flow. Q Are there areas of interest to you of which VCM is not addressing? Specifi- cally, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and the covert launch, operation, and recovery of these systems? The Royal Canadian Navy is very interest- ed in Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and is investigating options for how they could be used by our current fleet and potentially pursued through future capital projects. Q With the announcement this year of the stand-up of a small team to look at a replacement submarine, prior to forming a Major Crown Project (MCP), what are your thoughts on what key capabilities a future Canadian submarine should be able to do? The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) team is in the early stages of look- ing at the capabilities that could be required of Canada's next-generation submarine. It is clear that submarines are a key ele- ment of a balanced fleet that enables the Royal Canadian Navy to project power responsively and effectively far from Can- ada's shores, with the inherent flexibility and staying power required to succeed across a broad mission set. They are highly effective weapons of strategic deterrence that enable Canada to project power and influence abroad, alone or in cooperation with allies, as well as to defend North American waters and maritime approaches, including the Arctic. Covert, well-armed, and capable of patrol- ling vast distances, submarines can provide support to maritime law-enforcement, narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and pol- luting cases, as well as conducting opera- tions around the world, and contributing to continental defence, including in the Arctic. Ultimately, the Canadian Patrol Sub- marine Project was established to inform timely governmental decision-making about a potential replacement class of sub- marines, and avoid any gap in submarine capabilities, such as these. Moving forward, the CPSP team will be responsible for investigating all available options and responding to any questions the government may have, as it makes any required policy decisions. It is important to note that the estab- Service in submarines is primarily voluntary and future submariners are recruited from the existing fleet of surface sailors who demonstrate the desired traits required to serve in a submarine. Photo: DND

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