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New Support Ships Mark Exciting Era for Navy 16 April 2004 "The $2.1 billion Joint Support Ship project will provide Canada with an invaluable capability both to support and enforce domestic maritime security as well as support our foreign policy objectives such as humanitarian and peacekeeping missions," declared the Honourable David Pratt, Minister of National Defence, in a ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. "The Government has committed to providing the Canadian Forces with the equipment and training they require to do their jobs and this initiative is another concrete demonstration of that commitment." "The Joint Support Ship is a vital component of a naval task group, able to significantly extend the range and duration of naval operations," said General Raymond Henault, Chief of the Defence Staff. "The capability to transport an Army Battle Group over great distances and support operations ashore will be invaluable to the future domestic and international operations the Canadian Forces will be called on to undertake." The Joint Support Ship procurement process will consist of three phases. The first phase, or pre-qualification, will identify industry teams capable of fulfilling the project requirements. The second phase, project definition, will fund two industry teams to submit design proposals and recommendations for in-service support. The final phase, project implementation will select one industry team to design and build the ships, and provide long-term in- service support. The delivery of the first ship is expected in 2011. The Joint Support Ships will eventually replace the Protecteur class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessels that have been proudly serving Canada since the late 1960s and are nearing the end of their service lives.
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