Canada and Irving Shipbuilding have laid the keel for the first River-class destroyer, the future HMCS Fraser, moving the Royal Canadian Navy’s 15-ship surface combatant programme into a formal construction milestone at Halifax Shipyard, according to Canada’s Department of National Defence.
The June 12 ceremony covered the first ship in a programme intended to replace the capabilities of the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and Halifax-class frigates. Full-rate production on HMCS Fraser began in April 2025, after work on a production test module started in June 2024. Delivery of the first ship is expected in the early 2030s.
The first batch covers three vessels: HMCS Fraser, HMCS Saint-Laurent and HMCS Mackenzie. Canada awarded Irving Shipbuilding an initial implementation contract worth C$8bn ($5.72bn), including taxes, to fund the first six years of construction and support work on the first three ships.
The build-and-delivery cost of the first three ships is C$22.2bn ($15.86bn), excluding taxes.
Irving also marked the delivery of the sixth and final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship for the Royal Canadian Navy and the launch of the first AOPS variant for the Canadian Coast Guard.
The River-class design is based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 warship, with Lockheed Martin Canada selected for the design team.
Irving Shipbuilding is a Canadian shipbuilder based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and operates Halifax Shipyard.
BAE Systems is a British defence, aerospace and security company. Lockheed Martin Canada is the Canadian business of Lockheed Martin.