Babcock Canada, the prime contractor of the Victoria in-service support contract (VISSC), has awarded a six-year sub-contract extension to Seaspan Victoria Shipyards to continue supporting Babcock on the VISSC.
This extension will support Babcock’s delivery of the industry-led submarine in-service support solution for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Victoria-class diesel-electric submarines.
This agreement followed the Canadian Government's award of a six-year contract extension to Babcock earlier this year.
This earlier contract includes the potential to further extend the VISSC through to end-of-life of the Victoria-class boats.
"Babcock’s continued leadership and delivery of the VISSC and submarine sustainment enterprise will enable uninterrupted, continuous service, as Canada transitions to its new fleet of submarines," Babcock said in a press release following the award of the contract extension to Seaspan.
The work that Seaspan currently delivers to Babcock under the VISSC takes place at the Canadian Government-owned Esquimalt Graving Dock in Victoria, British Columbia.
"The submarine sustainment enterprise is an essential sovereign and collaborative capability that will ensure a smooth transition between fleets and the delivery of available, capable, and safe submarines to the Royal Canadian Navy for decades to come," said Tony March, CEO of Babcock Canada.
The four Victoria-class submarines were all originally built in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the Upholder-class for the UK Royal Navy. All four boats were later acquired by Canada and have been in RCN service since the early 2000s.
