Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan announced an in-service support contract with L3 MAPPS of Montreal, Quebec. With an initial value of $24.5 million (including taxes) for six years, this contract will ensure the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) remains well-maintained and capable of supporting operations. The IPMS is a highly integrated and operationally critical system used to manage the propulsion, electrical, and damage control systems on board Halifax-class frigates.

Through this contract the Government of Canada is supporting the operational effectiveness of the Royal Canadian Navy, maintaining twenty Canadian jobs, and advancing Canadian innovation, by investing in domestically produced technologies.

Halifax-class frigates monitor and control Canadian waters, defend Canada’s sovereignty, facilitate large-scale search and rescue activities, and provide emergency assistance when needed. Introduced into service in the 1990s, the Canadian-built Halifax-class frigates were modernized in 2014 to remain operationally effective and relevant until the Canadian Surface Combatants enter into service.

In September 2014, an interim $11.7 million in-service support contract for the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) was awarded to the original equipment manufacturer, L3 MAPPS, via sole-source. This new contract will provide in-service support in the form of routine maintenance, repair and overhaul, technical support, spare management, and engineering support, including hardware obsolescence management, system integration, software development and innovation support for the IPMS. This will ensure the systems can continue providing essential services, and are capable of integrating new platform systems onboard, such as new diesel generators and smoke and heat detection sensors.

The contract includes options for extending services until the Halifax-class is retired.