Global News has an exclusive look at Canada’s first Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) being constructed in Halifax.
Canada has ordered six ships capable of armed sea-borne surveillance, including in Arctic waters. The powerful ships are capable of plowing through ice-packed waterways.
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Construction of the ships began last September, with the first — to be named HMCS Harry DeWolf — scheduled to be delivered in 2018.
Each vessel will be 103 metres long and have a vehicle bay, helicopter capability and a remote-controlled 25 mm machine gun, the BAE mk 38.
The ships will “assert and enforce Canadian sovereignty, when and where necessary,” according to the Canadian Navy website.
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The $26.2 billion contract for the construction of the six AOPS and 15 Canadian Surface Combatants is a big boost for Halifax, with Irving Shipbuilding anticipating growing its workforce to 2,500 at times of peak production.
WATCH: Halifax Shipyard cuts steel for first arctic patrol ship
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