Vanguard Magazine

www.vanguardcanada.com APRIL/MAY 2023 39 S H I P T E C H F O R U M Her Majesty's Canadian Ship MONCTON, a Kingston-class maritime coastal defence vessel sits anchored alongside the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Pierre Radisson. Photo: Corporal Felicia Ogunniya The second panel discussion was on "Key Habitability Considerations" moderated by Commander Greg Zuliani who introduced the team which included RCN and Coast Guard representation as well as industry de- sign experience. Commander Nicole Robi- chaud, the Commanding Officer of the De- Wolf-class AOPV HMCS Margaret Brooke spoke on six-person cabins, a departure from traditionally large naval messdecks, and their physical placement within the ship design. She also underscored the benefits of "all ranks cafeteria" as both a dining and multi-purpose venue as well as the need to have dedicated gym facilities. Captain Tra- vis Borchuk, the Commanding Officer of CCGS Judy LaMarsh, spoke of the need to balance crew habitability with the mis- sion when prioritizing crew comfort issues. Single occupancy cabins, even if they offer smaller personal space can be attractive, but it is always a challenge that requires com- promise. Ian Schumacker, from SERCO UK, highlighted the need to accommodate watch rotations over long periods deployed at sea and the need to consider crew reten- tion in the design, using quality equipment for ease of maintainability. Finally, do not try to fit too much into a small ship. After a luncheon break, the afternoon keynote speaker was Rear-Admiral Brian Santarpia, the Commander Maritime Forc- es Atlantic as well at the Maritime Compo- nent Commander for the CAF Joint Op- erations Command. He spoke of the big role for OPVs in the RCN that can do "all the missions" where a larger warship, such as a frigate, is not optimal. These missions include constabulary and sovereignty, and he noted that constabulary is more of a na- val role in Canada as well as other nations, compared with the United States, where the US Coast Guard is armed and has a law enforcement mandate. Following his address there were Tech Showcases from Arktos Developments and Barnacle Systems. These were followed by a presentation by Kristina Proulx from Defence Research and Development Can- ada (DRDC) on the opportunities under the IDEaS programme, briefing the re- sults of the 2022 Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox. This was followed by Tech Showcases from Light Structures and Fi- breglass Solutions. The third and final panel of the confer- ence was a discussion on "Procurement: How do we maximize Canadian Industry participation" moderated by Blaine Duff- ley, the Project Manager for the Joint Sup- port Ship project. The panelists included Shaun Padulo, the President and CEO of Heddle Shipyards, Sandy Thomson, the founder of Thordon Bearings, and Dave Hatherall from CFN, formerly the Direc- tor General Major Marine Construction with PSPC. A superb discussion ensued which highlighted a number of lessons and observations, notably: • it is necessary to rebuild shipyards before building ships and there is a need for more discussion on lessons identified be- tween yards even though they are com- petitors. • The industry is seeing more responsi- bility going to the shipyards, but there needs to be a reset on the way industry and the Canadian government work to- gether – it should not be adversarial. • Life cycle sustainment should be a fac- tor in build decisions and not separate to force down the initial procurement costs. • Finally, as the war in Ukraine is demon- strating, it is very important for Cana- dian national security to have and retain key domestic capabilities. Summary The takeaway from ShipTech 2023 was clear – Canada is looking to replace the Kingston-class MCDVs with an Offshore Patrol Vessel that can meet the demands of year-round operations in Canadian waters, as well as international deployments. The design needs to be as simple as possible, utilizing modularity in both capability and future maintenance and it must future- proof habitability in accommodations for the next generations of sailors. Critically, it can be designed, built and outfitted in Canada by Canadian industry, a diverse domestic industry that needs to supported, to ensure the nation retains strategic do- mestic capabilities. Capt(N) Norman Jolin, RCN (Ret'd), is an Associate Consultant with CFN Consultants specializing in naval and maritime issues. Prior to joining CFN, he provided advice on Canadian defence procurement in the private sector, following a 37-year career in the Royal Canadian Navy. The takeaway from ShipTech 2023 was clear – Canada is looking to replace the Kingston-class MCDVs with an Offshore Patrol Vessel that can meet the demands of year-round operations in Canadian waters, as well as international deployments.

• Cover