Canada has begun construction of a new land based test facility intended to support the introduction of the Royal Canadian Navy’s future River class destroyers.
The Department of National Defence confirmed that work is underway at Hartlen Point in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia, where a dedicated Land Based Test Facility is being built to integrate and commission complex combat systems before they are installed aboard the ships. Construction began in November 2025 and is scheduled to conclude in early 2028. The project is being delivered by PCL Construction of Dartmouth and is expected to sustain around 200 jobs over the life of the build.
The facility has been developed in parallel with the design of the River class destroyers, requiring detailed technical data to ensure it can support combat systems integration. Early site preparation began in 2023 to maintain programme timelines, with access roads, utilities, grading and structural foundations already completed ahead of full construction. According to the Department of National Defence, the facility will play a central role in bringing the new warships into service.
“Having the right infrastructure in place to support a modern naval fleet is mission critical,” said Defence Minister David McGuinty. “This facility represents an important step in the River class destroyer project. Once completed, it will play a vital role in bringing the new ships into service and preparing our personnel to work with the incoming ship systems.”
He added that beginning construction marked “another step forward in providing our Canadian Armed Forces with the capabilities required to protect Canada’s sovereignty.”
The River class programme will deliver 15 new destroyers for the Royal Canadian Navy, replacing the Halifax class frigates and the retired Iroquois class destroyers. The ships are intended to support domestic maritime security, contribute to allied naval operations and address emerging threats in the maritime domain. Because of the complexity of the combat systems involved, those systems must be integrated and tested ashore before installation at sea. The Department stressed that the site is not a weapons testing facility, but is designed specifically for systems integration and commissioning.
The Hartlen Point site covers approximately 10 hectares and includes secure access infrastructure, stormwater systems and a main building measuring more than 12,500 square metres across two floors and a topside level. Its coastal position allows a 130 degree live transmission arc over the ocean, a requirement for combat system testing.
Used to be a WW2 Battery and Airfield and now has a Golf Club.
I expect Forrest Trump will want to own this as well soon.
We need to get this on the #F1 calendar. The only problem is brake failure on the back straight and you’re straight into the sea!
Mid Winter would be Interesting !
Forrest Trump 🤣🤣🤣
Just a thought, could the UK use this facility?
We already have one up on Portsdown Hill, our own LBTS.
Agreed, but little harm in sharing both locations and possibly the Australian equivalent.
We are using different CMS and radar architectures. These are bespoke sites, so it’s not as simple as plug and play.
You’re better informed than on the fit of the systems, but I still hope there is some commonality that both navies and our allies can use and learn from.
Australia and Canada have used US based combat systems for decades. Both of their type 26s are using AEGIS and the standard missile.
My Grandad was Stationed there “During the war” that’s how I know about It as a place. I’m sure we probably still visit but not this actual site.
There were several sites up there mate, which one?
Now just the two, plus the underground tanks disused.
It was some sort of Shore establishment although he was In the RN at the time so It might have been a navy field ? he didn’t say much but we did find out he was there for quite some time. I assume the airport was In use at that time and I’m assuming this new Test facility will be on that old site Not 100% about any of It truth be known but one of my Cousins did a little hunting and found various bits of his wartime history.
T26 is using mostly mature systems so we dont really need one.
We don’t need a facility to integrate and test systems on an extremely complex warship?
The complex parts cannot really be tested on land. We use the engines elsewhere and pretty sure weve tested the geabox but Artisan is in use already and theres not much else we can test in terms of above water systems.
My bad, I didn’t realise the Canadian plan was to fit some tyres and test the engine…
Look at the site…. its clearly focused around the radar setup
Dont be daft, of course land based testing for propulsion happens, but i dont think we set such up for T26 as it used engines we already have in service and isnt a radically new setup like IEP
It’s about complex combat systems, not engines or gearboxes. Like Daniele said, we already have the equivalent at Portsdown Hill because the need to integrate, test is there as well as industry sites.
Yup, the 7th T45, It’s nearly as permanant as Daring !
Oh yes, the imaginary Canadian Navy… With the world beating type 26… This should be great in about 20 years
Imaginary American turns up again. 😅😅😅😅
The radar, combat system and missiles are already in service on the type 23. There’s no new systems to integrate.
you mean apart from the entirety of the Combat System?.. I’ve been integrating Complex Combat systems at the MISC Portsdown for the past 23 years. I can assure you there’s no such thing as “proven”. Each supplier has it’s own contracted requirements which can be vastly different. Artisan (Radar 997) is configured differently for T26 than it is for T23, or a Carrier. These are very complex systems and each software variant can be radically different. Shared Infrastructure (say on a Carrier) is nothing like the technology on a T26 or a T23. The LBTS at Portsdown can integrate and assure T23s, T45s, Carriers, T26 and now T31, plus test the data link communications between those platforms, both point to point and via Satellite. The LBTS can also communicate directly with deployed Task Forces, individual platforms and other test sites around the world.
Interesting details, thank you.
Is there an NS110 at Portsdown now then? Whenever I visit Port Solent I always peer up the hill to see if anything new has been installed, but I haven’t been recently.
a version of NS110 has been delivered to Portsdown yes. Will be installed and set to work in the coming months. A full T31 Combat System is also being fully integrated
Oh that’s good to know. I sort of hope T31 moves back onto BAE’s radar for commonality purposes but NS110 seems like a good system.
Well there hasnt been any work to test the specific setups of T26 or T31 at least linked to a radar.
incorrect…there has been plenty of T26 combat system testing including real 997, Data Links, Navigation radars, EOGCS, simiulated Sea Ceptor and whole Combat system testing. The T26 Combat System team is based at Portsdown. Approaching CIP1 there will also be MEWSIC testing with real EW sensors
I think I’ve met you Mathew, It was a fair few years back now. BAE Systems. You gotta be up for Retirement/Knighthood soon ? !!!! 😁
@halfwit..probably!..I’m infamous for tours, demos and basically speaking 🤣. At my age I’d take retirement over a knighthood any day !
Not the GT.
We already use that on the carriers.
The River class destroyer is what the USN should have chosen instead of FREM.
I’m quite happy they didn’t because the last thing we needed was US defence primes jacking up the cost.
But It was never really In the running Jim.
They wanted an existing proven design.
They would’ve done the same thing. The Navy never particularly wanted a foreign design, and issues surrounding damage control were in part a smokescreen for the eventual cancellation.
If I were Canadian I’d be looking to strip out all the US systems from the River class and just build Type 26s.
Way too late and the cost’s would be horrific.
But I do believe that a lot is going on behind the scenes now that Trump has signalled his Intent.
TDS . As the NATO Chief has said. It’s time to deal in reality and not virtue. Signaling…
Canada needs those systems like SPy 7 tho
By the time they are built Trump will be out of office. Admittedly US politics has been a bit of a village idiot competition for the last decade but that particular clown show will be over
So that could effectively become and AEGIS ashore BMD location as a dual role?
Spy-7 is an AESA with design spec against BM and far greater detection rates than the Spy -1 PESA on Aegis Ashore sites in Europe.
Canada is getting some uplift with 15 of those radars.
If they add.SM-3 and 6 missile purchases.
Wonder how many Type 45 replacements we will get ?
We face being the poor relation again.
5 lightly armed T31 with orphan sensor fit
8 moderately armed T26 with CAMM and some VLS
4-6 ? Type 45 replacement with some ” world class” bespoke BAE radar solution?
No, we have our own testing side but that is what theyre for. Testing, trying to also use them as a missile base would impeded that.
There is also the replacement for the 12 Kingston Class Mineweepers with what the RCN wants which are multi mission light Frigates\Corvettes.
That project looks to kick off soon as some of the Kingstons now are being taken off duty.