Vard, Team Vigilance Unveil Vigilance Offshore Patrol Vessel at CANSEC
Vard Marine Inc. (VARD), a Fincantieri company, has launched the Vigilance Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) at the Canadian defense trade show CANSEC 2023, in conjunction with Team Vigilance partner companies Heddle Shipyards, Thales Canada, SH Defence, and Fincantieri.
Collectively, Team Vigilance partner companies bring vast and impressive capabilities and experience to bear in naval ship design, Canadian and global shipbuilding, the integration of combat and offboard systems, modular payload systems, and life-cycle solutions. This collaboration ensures Team Vigilance is able to meet the needs of any naval operator in this space and beyond, Vard said.
"Tailored to the needs of the Royal Canadian Navy’s future fleet, Vigilance strikes the balance between flexibility, adaptability, and size, while maintaining the life-cycle cost advantages VARD’s naval designs are known for. The vessel has been conceived for high-tempo sovereignty missions and engineered for global deployment and forward basing abroad," Vard said.
"Cost effective and forward-looking, Vigilance will fulfill critical operational needs through a combination of organic and modular capabilities, enabling core naval mission such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, subsea infrastructure protection, mine countermeasures, resource conservation, and maritime interdiction operations. The seamless integration of the CUBE plug-and-play mission module and payload handling system ensures Vigilance remains future-proof and can offer a true multi-mission capability regardless of the tasks assigned to the vessel," Vard added.
According to Vard, the vessel is intended to satisfy projected future demands under the second pillar of the Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy as a replacement for the Kingston Class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels, these new ships will be designed, built, and equipped in Canada.
"Vigilance will provide the sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve the modern tools they need to protect Canada’s vital interests at home and abroad," Vard said.
Derek Buxton, Vice President Business Development, Vard Marine Inc., said:"With our experience in designing modern multi-mission OPVs such as the RCN’s AOPS and the USCG’s Heritage Class Cutters, and the vast, aligned, experience of our Team Vigilance partners, we stand ready to support the Government of Canada throughout the ongoing conception, development, delivery, and deployment of their future offshore patrol vessel program."
