Project Resolve: DRS Technologies Selected for iAOR

DRS Technologies Canada will be providing integrated communications systems to Chantier Davie Canada and Project Resolve Inc. for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) ship program.

The AOR ship program is an important interim capability to supply at-sea Canadian naval forces with fuel, ammunition, water, spare parts and food. The DRS integrated communications system will include all internal tactical and secure voice switching systems and terminals; communication systems required under Safety of Life at Sea regulations; the entertainment, broadcast and alarms systems; and the networks system.

It leverages the DRS Shipboard Integrated Communications system, SHINCOM 3100, developed in Canada and currently operating on the RCN’s Halifax-class Frigates and other multi-national naval ships.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for DRS to deliver the SHINCOM 3100 system to the Royal Canadian Navy leveraging the existing installed base with the Canadian Halifax-class, Royal Australian Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy and United States Navy,” said Steve Zuber, vice president and general manager of DRS Technologies Canada Ltd. “This program will facilitate interoperability and the ability to share technology and applications, ensuring that SHINCOM 3100 remains the premier internal communications system for years to come, and a fleet standard,” Zuber said.

“Project Resolve will provide the RCN with an urgently needed and essential replenishment at-sea capability,” said Spencer Fraser, chief executive officer of Project Resolve Inc. “We are extremely proud to have assembled an impressive pan-Canadian supply chain that will feature ‘best-of-breed’ naval technologies developed and produced here at home by Canadian personnel. DRS Technologies Canada Ltd. is a trusted partner with an outstanding pedigree of providing and supporting the RCN and exporting Canadian secure naval communications technology worldwide. The company will be bringing a very modern and proven capability to our AOR solution.”

Project Resolve: RCN will have option to purchase iAOR

The Asterix is now in the Levis, Quebec shipyard, and has started its 17-month long conversion from a 1,700 TEU Boxship into an Auxiliary Oil Replenishment (AOR) vessel which will be leased to the Royal Canadian Navy from 2017-2021.

While an official contract between the Federal Government and Davie Shipbuilding has yet to be signed. Currently the Government is in Caretaker Mode after the Election; which will last until at least November 4, 2015; and therefore cannot officially proceed. Davie announced earlier this week that the Asterix (currentley being labled by some as the Resolve-Class) interim AOR (iAOR) will be made available to the RCN until both Queenston-Class AORs are operational; which is currently estimated at some point in 2021.

Following the five year lease to the RCN, Davie announced that it will the offer to sell the vessel to the Navy. Davie also offered to convert a second Boxship into an iAOR for the Navy, and have it operational by late 2018, according to the Navy - they are not interested in a second iAOR (despite the 50% reduced cost associated with the iAORs compared to the AORs)

For now, we wait until the new Government is formed. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister-Elect will announce his cabinet on November 4, 2015 - and from there everything could change. Perhaps the Navy will consider a second iAOR, and save on leasing a Spanish or Chilean AOR during the 2017 calendar year. Currently a Spanish AOR will serve on the East Coast at some point in 2016 with the RCN.

Project Resolve: RCN's Interim Supply Ship

There is new(er) news about Project Resolve. Please be sure to also read: Asterix to Salvage Parts from HMCS Protecteur & Asterix iAOR to be ready by 2017

During election campaign, people expect little more than future promises on Defence issues - but we got news the other day that the Government has signed a letter of intent with Davie Shipbuilding in Levis, Quebec to retrofit a civilian container ship, the Asterix (a 1,702 TEU Boxship).

(*TEU - a Unit of Measurement = Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (i.e. a 20 Foot Sea Container))

According to several sources Davie Shipbuilding has purchased the Asterix for around $20 million and will spend upwards of $350 Million on retrofitting it to meet the Royal Canadian Navies requirements. 

For this all to take place,the Government was required to change its rules on sole-sourcing defence purchases. Otherwise, multiple firms would have been required to bid for the project, which could have led to further delays. 

The Government quietly added a line to the contract back in June 2015, that allows a deal to move forward to a single company, if the requirements are "urgent operational reasons, and fulfills an interim requirement."  This can possibly set a dangerous precedent for future projects or governments, as what defines urgent or interim? 

Little is known about the final ownership of the Asterix. It is highly unlikely that the ship will be owned by the Royal Canadian Navy - as it is Davie who reportedly purchased the ship. In all likelihood, Davie will then lease the ship to the Navy on a long-term basis until the planned Queenston-Class AOR vessels are built (The first in late 2020). The estimated cost for the lease - between $65 and $75 Million per year. What will happen to the Asterix after all 3 Queenston AORs are operational? That is another unanswered question - it will most likely continue to operate as a broader part of the Navy, most likely helping out on more humanitarian missions or as a central command ship for larger international deployments. The modified Asterix is expected to be in service for at least the next 20 to 25 years. There are no reports about whether or not Davie will sell the ship to the Navy at the end of the initial lease agreement. 

The Royal Canadian Navy currently does not have a supply ship, and temporarily rented a Chilean Supply Ship for exercises on the West Coast, and have leased a Spanish supply ship for the East Coast.  The Asterix will give the RCN supply capability until the Queenston-Class AORs arrive, but will also allow the Navy to maintain a high level of training on supply vessels. 

The Asterix is currently capable of carrying 1,702 twenty-foot sea containers. Davie will convert the ship into a Naval Supply Vessel, capable of replenishing other Navy vessels at sea. 

The conversion will include, modifying the hull and ballast systems, to be capable of carrying 10,000 liters of spare fuel. A landing pad will be added to the ship, large enough to allow for two Chinook sized helicopters to use it. Although it is more likely that the Cyclones will operate off of the ship. Accompanying the landing pad, will be two hangers for the ships own aircraft be to be stored. Accommodations for up to 350 personnel, including a large medical facility (mobile hospital) and a command center. Unlike the Queenston-Class, no mention of any weapons systems have been added to the design of the Asterix. 

Once all the modifications are complete, the ship will also be able to carry an additional 40 twenty-foot sea containers. (Down form the 1,702) 

The project name Davie Shipbuilding is using for this overhaul - Project Resolve, which has led to the nickname Resolve-Class AOR for the Asterix. It is currently only a temporary name, but I think HMCS Resolve has a nice ring to it.