Canadian Patrol Frigate Project

The Canadian Patrol Frigate Project (CPFP) was a procurement project undertaken by the Department of National Defence of Canada beginning in 1975 to find a replacement for the Annapolis, Mackenzie, Restigouche, and St. Laurent-class destroyer escorts. The CPFP was considered a core effort in the fleet modernization of Canada in the 1980s. Facing several contract hurdles, the construction program got underway in 1987. The CPFP became known as the Halifax-class frigate upon the construction of the ships. The Halifax class replaced the destroyer escort classes in the 1990s and remains a core element of the fleet.

After calls from both internal and external sources for Canada to replace its aging fleet and upgrade its naval capability, the Canadian government announced the Ship Replacement Program. A study written in 1973 called for a frigate design in the 2500-ton range. In 1974, another study suggested a copy of the US Oliver Hazard Perry class. The project settled on a new general purpose design in 1975. In December 1977, the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project was authorized as part of the Ship Replacement Program. The Statement of Requirement was sent out in August 1978. The Statement required a ship with general purpose capability, with its primary function as an anti-submarine warfare platform with secondary capabilities in anti-air and anti-ship warfare. The design would also have to be able to operate a helicopter and have state-of-the-art command and communication equipment.

In December 1978, five bids were received and all were larger and more expensive than planned. The project team spent the next few years finding ways to keep the original requirements while cutting costs. The costs were exacerbated by the requirement that the ships be built in Canada, which had political benefits for the Trudeau government that had authorized the program. In 1980, the number of bids were narrowed to two competitors, SCAN Marine Incorporated of Montreal, Quebec and Saint John Shipbuilding (SJS) of Saint John, New Brunswick, and the final proposals were submitted in October 1982. A helicopter replacement program for the CH-124 Sea King was initially tied to the CPFP, but that procurement project was later delayed.

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