This article first appeared on HaltonHillsToday Dec. 9.
Halton Hills-based company Patlon Aircraft and Industries will be a supplier of parts to the Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).
The firm has been granted a $30-million contract to provide components for its partner, Irving Shipbuilding Inc. Ottawa chose the East Coast company to build the future River Class Destroyers (RCD) for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).
The contract enables Patlon to supply and quality check flexible hose and bellows systems for the ships. These parts are vital in large vessels like the River Class as they circulate fluid, reduce vibration and aid in noise attenuation.
The Georgetown company’s selection is, as Jennifer Gebel puts it, “a huge deal.”
“It’s nice to recognize that the NSS is Canada-wide and not just on the East Coast and West Coast like people sometimes think it is,” Gebel, Patlon’s director of operations, told HaltonHillsToday. “For Ontario to be included in this, it is a very exciting opportunity.”
The RCDs are a component of the RCN’s next generation of warships slated to replace the aging Halifax Class Frigates, which first set sail in 1987. Since then, 12 ships have been commissioned under the class. Initially a submarine hunter class, later upgrades turned them into multi-role warships and formed the backbone of the RCN.
The River-Class is called such as they will be named after Canadian rivers. The first three of 15 will be named the Fraser, the St. Laurent and the Mackenzie. Lightweight torpedoes, vertically launched missiles and a 127 mm gun are among the class’s arsenal. The vessels will also have integration with the US Navy’s Cooperative Engagement Capability, which enables allies to have real-time sensor information -- allowing ships to have a high degree of situational awareness.
The boats will be capable of doing missions with NORAD and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, among others.
The components Patlon plans to provide will be manufactured by the UK-based producer Oldham Seals Ltd. The specific components are years away from being delivered.
“Right now, we are looking at an estimated timeline of August of 2026,” Gebel said. Production will likely begin, she added, “eight to nine months in advance of that.”
Delivery of the parts in 2026 will be just for one ship. The first RCD will be ready for trials in 2030.
Patlon has been in the Georgetown community for 16 years but got its start in Mississauga in 1953 as a supplier of aircraft parts for the military. It has since provided components to the Army and Navy as well, including CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) detection. They have office outside Halton Hills, including Montreal and Ottawa just to name a few.
Their office in Georgetown is split between engineering and office staff.
Patlon and the Government of Canada's websites offer more information about the project.
