In a press release Wednesday, Defense electronic systems company Thales said that will be handling all of the in-service support for the new Artic and Offshore Patrol (AOPS) Ship that was delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy last Friday.

“As the In-Service Support (ISS) provider for the HMCS Harry DeWolf and all of the Royal Canadian Navy’s future Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels and Joint Support Ships, Thales will build on years of extensive planning to continue its work under the AJISS contract onboard the first vessel to ensure mission readiness now and throughout the fleets’ operational lifetimes,” said in a statement.

A global leader in technological research and development, Thales is harnessing the full suite of its digital technologies to deliver innovative marine In-Service Support capabilities to the Royal Canadian Navy.

“Thales’ readiness to support the Royal Canadian Navy’s new fleet of Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships draws upon our decades of In-Service Support experience around the world and our unparalleled expertise in project management, systems engineering and integrated logistics. We’re proud to be creating jobs, supporting Canada’s marine sector supply chain, and generating substantive economic benefits to communities across Canada.” Mark Halinaty, President and CEO, Thales Canada said.

Specifically designed to patrol Canada’s offshore waters and northernmost regions, this new class of ship will be at the core of an enhanced Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Arctic presence, effectively complementing the capabilities of our other current and future warships through critical reconnaissance and surveillance activities.

Construction for the following three ships is ongoing, with construction of the fifth and sixth ships expected to begin in 2021 and 2022, respectively.