Canada’s role in shipbuilding

Re: Liberals Mulling Overdue Moves For The Military, Michael Den Tandt, Sept. 26.

So, “emerging thinking” has determined that the current program for building new logistic support ships for Canada is unacceptable. Any sailor could have told you that decades ago. However, now is an auspicious time as many navies in the west are procuring ships of this type.

The U. S. Navy will start building 17 ships in 2018, the Australian Navy will have two built in Spain in 2017, the Royal Navy four in South Korea, starting 2015, Norway, one ship of the same class ( slightly smaller than the RN), in South Korea in 2018, the Netherlands one built in Romania, commissioned in 2015. Germany built three ships, with the last commissioned in 2013 ( this is the class Canada has selected to be built in Vancouver), and Italy is laying steel for a new ship due in 2019.

All ships built offshore are being outfitted in- country where most of the high value cost is incurred. It would be in Canada’s economic interest to immediately explore opportunities to build three ships from mature designs in one of these shipbuilding countries for delivery by 2020. Canada’s niche in this market is systems installation and integration for each ship. What better stimulant for our economy? Robin Allen, Victoria.