VICTORIA, BC April 29, 2016 – Lockheed Martin Canada joined the Government of Canada, the Royal Canadian Navy and Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyards in celebrating the successful completion and transfer of HMCS Regina – the fifth and final frigate on the West coast to complete its modernization - to the Department of National Defence Dockyard.

As the prime contractor and combat system integrator on the Halifax Class Modernization project, Lockheed Martin Canada continues to work with pride nearing completion of the successful program.  The project is providing state-of-the-art upgrades, allowing Canada’s fleet of 12 Halifax-class frigates to meet 21st century threats. The modernization of this fleet includes Lockheed Martin Canada’s Combat Management System as well as new radar capability, a new electronic warfare system, and upgraded communications technologies and missiles.

“Our team is thrilled to celebrate the delivery of Canadian-built, world-class technology to the Royal Canadian Navy. From the original Halifax-class to the modernization program of today, we are proud of our rich history in Canada – creating thousands of high value jobs, building critical naval expertise, achieving export success and supporting the RCN's operations around the world,” said Rosemary Chapdelaine, Vice President and General Manager, Lockheed Martin Canada.

The partnership model used to execute this highly complex and collaborative effort between the government, Navy, and more than thirty companies within the Canadian shipbuilding industry, not only delivered a first-class capability and robust economic benefits to Canada, but also attracted international attention and interest from navies around the world.

The company’s core strategy included strong Canadian partnerships and suppliers, producing a combat management system and combat system integration capability built in Canada by Canadians. As Canada’s only combat system integrator for over 30 years, Lockheed Martin Canada has delivered over $6B in Industrial Benefits to Canada since 1983. The company continues to invest in Canadian technology, businesses, and people to support future naval programs at home and abroad.

By combining the unique strengths and capabilities of its partners, valuable competitive offerings are jointly created for domestic and global markets. Lockheed Martin Canada’s partnership with Seaspan on the New Zealand ANZAC Frigate System Upgrade highlights this effort. As the prime systems integrator on that program, the Lockheed Martin Canada team included Seaspan in the bid as the shipyard for the upgrades. This is the first time a foreign navy will send their warships to Canada for a full scale modernization and it is a direct result of the strategic approach to the project. This example of bringing work to Canada demonstrates an ability to successfully leverage purchases and investments in high technology defence products to create jobs and economic growth for Canada.