Construction Begins on Canada’s First River Class Destroyer

The Canadian defense ministry has announced the start of construction for the country’s new fleet of Canadian Surface Combatants (CSC) today.

The new fleet will be known as River-class destroyers, with the first three ships named His Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Fraser, Saint-Laurent, and Mackenzie.

The CSC project, Canada’s largest and most complex shipbuilding initiative since World War II, aims to modernize the RCN’s surface fleet. Construction began on the production test module (PTM), which will refine processes for full-rate production by 2025. The first River-class destroyer, HMCS Fraser, is expected to be delivered in the early 2030s, with the final ship completed by 2050.

The project will support approximately 10,800 jobs annually during the 25-year construction period and 5,000 jobs annually during the design phase, generating at least $40 billion in cumulative Gross Domestic Product. The River-class destroyers, based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 design, will feature enhanced underwater sensors, radar, and modern weapons.

A land-based testing facility will be constructed at Hartlen Point in Halifax, N.S., to support the CSC throughout its lifecycle. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with completion anticipated by 2027.