Vanguard Magazine

8 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 www.vanguardcanada.com S SIT REP BAE Systems to start construction of Type 26 Global Combat Ships for the UK in July Gap Wireless expands to Western Canada Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems, said. The contract, which was signed on June 29, re- lates to the construction of the first three of eight frigates which the UK Government committed to in its 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). Another contract for the rest of the ships is expected to be negotiated in the early 2020s. The signing of this contract comes at an opportune time for BAE Systems as it looks to bid its Type 26 platform for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Future Frigate programme, as well as in Canada, through the The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a con- tract to BAE Systems worth approximately £3.7bn to build the first three ships for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme. Work will commence shortly on the first ship with steel scheduled to be cut in Glasgow in July, according to Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon. This is good news for the shipbuilding industry in Scotland as it will help secure more than 3,400 jobs for the company and its UK maritime supply chain over the next twenty years. "The Type 26 Frigate is a cutting-edge warship, combining the expertise of the British shipbuild- ing industry with the excellence of the Royal Navy," Sir Fallon said. "These ships will be a force to be reckoned with, there to protect our powerful new carriers and helping keep British interests safe across the world." The Type 26 Global Combat Ships will replace the anti-submarine variant Type 23 frigates of the Royal Navy and are capable of "undertaking a wide range of roles from high-intensity warfare to humanitarian assistance, either operating in- dependently or as part of a task group," accord- ing to BAE Systems. "We are extremely proud to be chosen to de- sign and manufacture vessels that will give the Royal Navy an essential, next-generation capa- bility and be a vital addition to its fleet," Charles Canadian Surface Combatant programme. "The Royal Canadian Navy can have full con- fidence that the UK Type 26 programme will enhance our qualified design on the Canadian Surface Combatant programme," Anne Healey, Country Director at BAE Systems Canada, said. "With Type 26 running three years ahead of CSC, we're in a sweet spot of the development cycle. All the lessons from the design and man- ufacture of Type 26 in the U.K. will be ready to flow to CSC, reducing risk in the Canadian pro- gramme." Gap Wireless announced on June 28 that it is ex- panding its business by opening an 8,000 square foot warehouse in Calgary, Alberta. This new cen- tre will support the company's distribution busi- ness in Western Canada. As a leading distributor of products and ser- vices for the mobile broadband and wireless markets, Gap Wireless' new facility, which is lo- cated in close proximity to the Calgary airport, will stock the full range of its partner vendor prod- ucts. These products include mobile wireless car- rier infrastructure solutions, Test & Measurement equipment, fiber/Ethernet/datacom solutions, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) accord- ing to a press release. "We distribute products and support customers coast-to-coast in Canada and throughout the U.S., and our Calgary warehouse will enable us to pro- vide accessible shipping, sales support and local product pick-up for our western region Canadian customers," said Glenn Poulos, Vice President and General Manager at Gap Wireless. The Mississauga company, which also has a presence in Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, San Jose, Los Angeles, Rochester, Raleigh, Boca Raton, Bos- ton and Buffalo, is celebrating its 10th anniversa- ry this year. Throughout its history, the company has worked at adding vendor products to its of- ferings. Recent additions include solutions sup- porting the UAV market spanning everything from drones, software & sensors and drone defence, to training and regulatory offerings. "We're pleased to sustain ongoing growth in 2017 as we celebrate our 10th anniversary along with Canada's 150th birthday," said Poulos.

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