GD to Bid on Canadian Navy Combat Systems Integration Program

General Dynamics, OTTAWA, Ontario and LONDON: General Dynamics Canada has been selected by the Department of National Defence as one of only three contractors to be allowed to bid on the Canadian Navy's C$1.1 billion Halifax Class Modernization (HCM), Combat Systems Integration (CSI) program. 
 
Acting as the prime contractor, General Dynamics Canada is heading the “CSI Halifax Team” comprising leading defence industry suppliers Thales Nederland, Thales Canada, and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. 
 
The HCM/CSI program will modernize the mission systems for the 12 Halifax- class frigates and significantly enhance the capability of the frigates' command and control systems, radars, tactical data links, electronic support measures and other operational mission support systems. The program also requires the successful bidder to provide systems engineering and in-service support for the modernized mission systems in all 12 frigates. The formal request for proposal is expected to be issued this fall. 
 
“I am confident in our CSI Halifax Team's ability to deliver on this program and view the experience and complementary capabilities of our team as an opportunity to provide depth and added assurance that we will meet the demanding requirements of the Canadian Navy,” said John Watts, president of General Dynamics Canada. “It is our collective vision and commitment that this much-needed modernization program ensures the men and women who serve aboard Canada's Halifax-class frigates have the capability they need to accomplish their varied and demanding missions.” 
 
With an established Canadian employee base of over 2,200 people in Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary and Victoria, General Dynamics Canada has a solid record of performance in delivering large-scale, multi-billion dollar systems integration solutions to both the Canadian and international defence communities. The company is currently under contract to provide the integrated mission system solutions for the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program and the Aurora Incremental Modernization Program, and has the type of experience, expertise and proven management capability necessary to help ensure that the Canadian Navy will receive the most modern and cost effective HCM/CSI solution available, while maintaining the flexibility to rapidly and efficiently adapt to the challenging requirements of tomorrow. 
 
Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) is one of the most experienced and capable naval mission system suppliers in the world with a proven reputation for performance on programs of similar scale and complexity. Over the past 20 years, Thales Nederland has delivered (or is under contract for) 130 TACTICOS command and control system ship-sets to 13 different navy customers on 12 different ship types. Thales Nederland has proven expertise integrating, delivering and continuously improving complex naval mission system solutions, including the current German F122/F123 Frigate and the Greek S-Frigate upgrade programs. Thales Nederland has a long and proven history with the Canadian Navy providing and supporting state-of-the art surveillance and fire-control radar systems. 
 
Thales Canada has approximately 1,100 employees in Canada and is a proven provider of specialized naval mission system applications and through-life in- service support capability, including providing and continuously improving the most current applications of TACTICOS. Previous Naval Combat System work in Canada has included Mission System Integration for the Maritime Coastal Patrol Defence Vessels, the Track Management System for the APAR radar and the data processor development for SIRIUS. 
 
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems provides proven cost and schedule risk reduction capabilities to the CSI Halifax team in the areas of performance-based in-service support, mission systems integration and qualification by virtue of their key role on the United States Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program.  
 
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 82,900 people worldwide and anticipates 2007 revenues of more than $27 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.