At CANSEC 2023, Vard Marine Inc. (VARD), a Fincantieri company, proudly launched VIGILANCE, as their solution to replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Kingston Class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV) under Pillar Two of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). In conjunction with Team Vigilance partner companies Thales Canada, Ontario Shipyards, SH Defence, and Fincantieri, VIGILANCE will provide the RCN with a lightweight and operationally flexible military asset that is highly capable and globally deployable. VIGILANCE can perform all the roles of the existing MCDV, while also fulfilling crucial naval warfare duties beyond the capabilities of both the MCDV and the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPV).
This collaboration ensures Team Vigilance can meet the needs of the Royal Canadian Navy’s future fleet with a tailored naval solution, striking the optimum balance between capability and cost, while also maintaining the life-cycle cost advantages VARD’s naval designs are known for.
As a part of the ongoing effort, Team Vigilance continues to assemble a broad coalition of Canadian companies that can offer important services and vital equipment to the program. Building a robust coalition is key to the core objective that VIGILANCE be designed in Canada, built in Canada, and equipped in Canada. To this end, Team Vigilance launched their Preferred Suppliers Program at DEFSEC 2023 in Halifax last October.
IDS North America a Preferred Supplier to Team Vigilance
At CANSEC 2024, it was announced that Montreal-based IDS North America Ltd. (IDSNA) has been recognized as a Preferred Supplier to Team Vigilance. IDSNA is a Canadian company and subsidiary of the Italian-based IDS S.p.A., a Fincantieri NexTech company. IDSNA offers cutting-edge high-tech solutions to the defence and security industry. The company has deep knowledge and expertise in products and services applicable to the naval sector, as well as specialized engineering and smart infrastructures.
IDSNA has its roots in IDS, which was founded in 1980. The company was, and still is, serving the very niche market of electromagnetic design and engineering, covering critical aspects of naval combatant design such and EMC and EMI. Leveraging decades of experience, the IDSNA team of seasoned professionals and technology experts offers unique and customer-tailored solutions. Today IDSNA, as a part of Fincantieri NexTech Group, has extended its portfolio here in Canada to include integrated logistics support, simulation and training solutions.
Not only will VIGILANCE provide the sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve the modern tools they need to protect Canada’s vital interests at home and abroad, it will also allow them to continue to leverage the best that Canadian industry has to offer from companies like IDSNA that remain a trusted source of electromagnetic design and engineering, ILS and training and simulation solutions and services. VIGILANCE also aims to assist in the ongoing creation and development of a true sovereign capability across all aspects of the shipbuilding value chain.
Derek Buxton, Vice President Business Development, Vard Marine Inc., said,
“We remain committed to leveraging VIGILANCE to help generate a true sovereign shipbuilding capability across all areas of the shipbuilding value chain. This includes the areas of electromagnetic engineering and integrated logistics support critical to any naval newbuilding program. Bringing IDSNA into the Preferred Suppliers Program is an easy decision given the suite of services they offer and the strong potential for knowledge and technology transfer from the impressive list of Fincantieri NexTech family of companies.”
About Vard Marine Inc.
Vard Marine is a consulting naval architecture and marine engineering company with Canadian offices in Vancouver and Ottawa and employees situated in seven Canadian provinces. The company offers professional ship design, engineering, and shipbuilding technology services, and its vessel design portfolio ranges from offshore construction, supply, and patrol ships, to icebreakers, research vessels and ferries. Vard Marine is an international reference player in the design of offshore patrol vessels having delivered designs for the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand, among many others. Their most recent designs include the Argus-Class Offshore Patrol Cutters for the US Coast Guard and the Harry DeWolf-Class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy. More information on Vard Marine can be found at https://vardmarine.com.
About IDS North America Ltd.
IDS North America Ltd. (IDSNA) is the largest subsidiary of IDS Ingegneria dei Sistemi headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The company offers the full spectrum of capabilities and expertise for the defence and security industries. A diverse team of experts in engineering, electromagnetic engineering, and aviation, ensuring comprehensive solutions for a wide range of applications. IDSNA’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its ability to provide cutting-edge technological solutions and services that meet the highest industry standards.
About IDS Ingegneria Dei Sistemi S.p.A.
IDS Ingegneria Dei Sistemi S.p.A., a Fincantieri NexTech company, is an engineering and systems technologies company providing research, innovation and products in Electromagnetic Engineering, Robotics and Unmanned Systems, and Radar based safety and protection systems for civil and defense applications. Since the outset in 1980, IDS has specialized in providing consulting services for high-tech engineering projects and in developing integrated hardware and software solutions. IDS has a strong customer focus and is committed to meeting customer requirements with high quality innovative solutions. IDS is an international company with 250 professional employees worldwide, mostly electronic, telecommunications and aerospace engineers. The IDS headquarters are in Pisa, Italy and the company has several other offices in the country. It also has a strong international outlook with four subsidiary companies located in UK, Australia, Canada and South Korea. This international presence helps IDS to provide better, localized services and support to its international clients.
For more information, please visit www.idscorporation.com
Contacts: communication@idscorporation.com