HII's Mission Technologies division's REMUS AUVs are armed with Kraken Robotics' synthetic aperture sonar. (Kraken Robotics Systems)
Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) awarded two separate contracts that, combined, are worth about USD57.9 million to Kraken Robotics Systems of Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, to supply the modular mine-countermeasures (MCM) system for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the DND confirmed to Janes .
The formal contract is scheduled to be signed in January 2023, and the acquisition will be completed in the next two years, Kraken Robotics said in a 7 December statement.
The RCN is set to acquire two Remote Minehunting and Disposal Systems (RMDSs) to use on Kingston-class maritime coastal defence vessels (MCDVs) and other suitable vessels, including the newly built Harry DeWolf-class Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPSs), to deploy on Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
According to the request for proposal (RFP) issued by the DND on 29 June 2021, the first contract of USD45.8 million is intended for the procurement of two newly designed RMDSs and a second contract valued at USD12.1 million is for the continued in-service support for the RMDS for the initial five years. The contract also includes options for additional equipment, spare parts, training, and extending technical support for up to 15 years.
The RMDS includes two classes of lightweight and operator-portable autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) supplied by Kongsberg Maritime Canada, provider of HII's Mission Technologies division's REMUS AUVs.
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