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Halifax Class Modernization – Sonar Suite Replacement –
April 2008 Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade — AN/SQR-501 CANTASS Sonar Replacement for Halifax class Frigate – MERX LOI Notice  Does it Do Multi-Media? – Computer Shopping for Frigate Upgrade 'Dry End' Bits DRDC developed a sonar data processing system demonstrator, the Pleiades System Test Bed, which was trialed during fleet exercises aboard three Halifax class Canadian Patrol Frigates (HMCS Fredericton, Winnipeg and Vancouver). As expected, updated programs and computer hardware resulted in improved data processing which allowed superior detection rates for both submarine and torpedo targets. The towed array 'wet end' was judged adequate but the computing 'dry end' required a fleet-wide upgrade. 
In other words, this LOI seeks to replace the existing ship- board elements of the CPF sonar system by adding COTS
(commercial off-the-shelf ) hardware to a 'productionized' equivalent to DRDC's STB/Pleiades.
That seems straight- forward enough and DRDC Modular Open Systems Archi- tecture ensures that future
upgrades/modifications will be simplified. So far so good...except for the LOI notice itself.What caught most attention was the opening line: "No information or statements per- taining to this project shall be released to the press or other...media except by written permission from the Department of National Defence". In The Ottawa Citizen, David Pugliese reported this under Now DND's cloak of secrecy covers would-be suppliers. Hardly press coverage that boosts the reputation of a department or government with a growing reputation for excessive secrecy. The project itself got lost in the shuffle. The LOI Notice's text (as published on the MERX website) is reproduced below: ________________________________________ 
Letter of Interest (LOI) – Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade [ SQR-501 CANTASS Sonar Replacement ] ________________________________________ Reference Number PW-$$QF-070-16991 Solicitation Number W8472-08UWSU/A Organization Name Public Works and Government Services Canada Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada Source ID FD.DP.QC.10077.C2 Associated Components Yes Dates Published 2008-04-25 Revised — Closing 2008-05-20 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time EDT Details Category Communications, Detection and Fibre Optics GSINS N5845: UNDERWATER SOUND EQUIPMENT Region of Delivery National Capital Region Region of Opportunity — Agreement Type NONE Tender Type Letter of Interest ( LOI ) Estimated Value — Solicitation Method — Notice Description Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade Trade Agreement: NONE Tendering Procedures: — Attachment: None Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Nature of Requirements: Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade W8472-08UWSU/A Martin, Lesley Telephone No. - (819) 956-0222 ( ) Fax No. - (819) 956-0767 Line1, Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade LETTER OF INTEREST FOR UNDERWATER WARFARE SUITE UPGRADE (UWSU) No information or statements pertaining to this project shall be released to the press or other news media except by written permission from the Department of National Defence (DND). This is not a bid solicitation. A contract will not result from this Letter of Interest (LOI). Any information exchanged on this subject , through this request, future discussions, meetings, correspondence, etc., with project staff representing DND or Public Works and Governments Services Canada (PWGSC) or any other Government of Canada representative shall not be construed as an offer to purchase or commitment by DND, PWGSC or Government of Canada as a whole. Any and all expenses incurred by industry in pursuing this opportunity are at industry's sole risk and expense. DND shall not exclude or penalize, in any manner with regard to any future Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade work, any party who does not respond to this letter or for the content of their response. Background The twelve [ Halifax class ] Canadian Patrol Frigates' (CPF's) sonar fit consists of an AN/SQR 501 Canadian Towed Array Sonar System (CANTASS) with a SQR-19 towed array, an AN/SQS-510 Medium frequency active / passive hull mounted sonar, and an AN/UYS-503 Sonobuoy Processing System (SPS). These systems are approximately fifteen years old. While it is expected that the existing wet ends [ ie: the towed arrays] are adequate, it is desired to upgrade the dry end [ ie: shipboard ] of these systems to take advantage of the significant advances in computer hardware and software that have occurred and that are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Over the past fifteen years Defence R&D Canada (DRDC) has developed a series of technology demonstrators using the DRDC Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) System Test Bed (STB). In the past three years, the PLEIADES advanced sonar concept demonstrator has been developed from the STB and used to support a series of demonstrations aboard CPFs. PLEIADES integrates raw data from the exist- ing [AN/]SQR-19 towed array and AN/SQS-510 with an AN/ARR 502B sonar receiver, in place of the AN/UYS-503 SPS, into a common data processing and display environ- ment. PLEIADES has been used in parallel with legacy systems in operational exercis- es to demonstrate the "art of the possible" with respect to future upgrades of the CPF underwater warfare suite. The Crown has made a significant investment in the STB through DRDC R&D programs and it is expected that this investment can offset some of the costs associated with the acquisition of an upgraded sonar suite for the CPF. Purpose DND is interested in having industry comment on the potential for providing a MOSA ... design sonar upgrade for the CPF. This upgrade would include the following: a. Essential: 1) Maintain existing capabilities; 2) Processing full bandwidth SQR -19-towed Array; 3) Transient detection capability with all sensors; 4) Processing AN/SQS -510 transducers in active Continuous Wave (CW) and Frequency Modulated (FM) modes; 5) Full bandwidth AN/SQS -510 passive receive in both active and passive modes; 6) Modifications to AN/SQS -510 to mitigate the effect of active transmissions on marine mammals through the implementation of a "ramp-up" capability; 7) Sonobuoy 99 rf Channel, 16 active channels receiver with the ability to process for all Sonobuoys in Canadian service and with an upgrade path to process all sonobuoys in NATO service; 8) Exchanging information with the existing CCS 330 by emulating existing sensors and with an upgrade path to exchange information with future versions ... ; 9) Integration of the above into a complete sonar tactical picture with overlays for tactical data from other sensors, charts, etc; 10) Torpedo detection/alert functionality; 11) Integrated Target Motion Analysis; and 12) Provision of operator aids including ray trace and transmission loss for the above sensors. b. Desirable: 1) Provision for spiral development/periodic technology refresh, including the insertion of new modules from DND and other sources; 2) Provision for computer aided detection of initial contacts; 3) Provision for an active sonar intercept capability; 4) Extended mission operating period without shipboard maintenance; 5) Modifications to the AN/SQS -510 to generate complex waveforms, such as COSTAS waveforms [after theoretician JP Costas, this is not an acronym]; 6) Digital acoustic communications with allied submarines; 7) Access to SQL-enabled acoustic signature databases; 8) Cross-sensor feature correlation; 9) Advanced tracking approaches such as "track before detect"; 10) Operator training capability, including mission simulation, in classroom and shipboard settings; 11) 2nd and higher level post analysis capability, either as a standalone or inte- grated with existing "Osprey" systems; and 12) Operator alerts for the presence of marine mammals through the passive detect- ion of marine mammal vocalizations. INFORMATION SOUGHT In order to study the feasibility of implementing the upgrade detailed above, the following information is sought: 1) How would your organization address each of the essential and desirable require- ments? (Examples of fielded products proven in service are of particular interest) 2) Does your organization have any price and availability information? 3) What experience does your organization have with current sonar systems? 4) What experience does your organization have with Modular Open Systems Archi- tecture (MOSA) sonar systems? 5) What experience does your organization have in using Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) equipment in a Naval environment? 6) What challenges and solutions would your organization consider to be relevant to MOSA? 7) What does your organization consider to be the advantages/risks of structured hardware and software refresh management? 8) How would your organization address hardware and software development in association with government R&D agencies? 9) In response to this requirement, how would your organization facilitate the timely transition of new sonar technologies from government R&D agencies into service? 10) How would your organization propose to manage the risk associated with integrat- ing system components from other sources, such as government R&D agencies or allied navies? 11) What experience does your organization have in meeting the intent of military specifications such as, but not limited to: shock, vibration, electromagnetic com- patibility, electromagnetic interference, electrical supply, and safety? 12) How many Technology Refresh/Spiral Development updates has your organiza- tion completed? 13) How many Technology Refresh/Spiral Development updates has your organiza- tion under contract? 14) What process does your organization use to follow a MOSA design approach? 15) What process would your organization follow to integrate MOSA system compo- nents from other sonar suppliers? 16) What process would your organization follow to provide MOSA system compon- ents to other sonar suppliers? 17) What standards or certification process would your organization propose for man- agement, software design, software coding, software testing, systems engineering and manufacturing? (ISO, CMMI [Capability Maturity Model Integration] etc) 18) How would your organization manage an ongoing spiral development process, in- cluding the qualification and incorporation of system components from outside your organization? 19) How would your organization manage and support phased deliveries across the CPF/HALIFAX class? 20) How would your organization address operator and maintainer training in the con- text of spiral development with phased deliveries? 21) How would your organization incorporate third party (government and other) IP? 22) How would your organization manage a Canadian Open Architecture (OA) "sonar community of interest"? 23) How would your organization participate in a Canadian OA "sonar community of interest"? 24) How would your organization envision foreign involvement in a Canadian OA "sonar community of interest"? 25) What other prospective participants does your organization expect would be int- erested in this project and any subsequent OA tech refresh efforts? 26) How would your organization manage CTAT controlled information and equip- ment? 27) How would your organization manage foreign government, including ITAR, con- trolled information and equipment? 28) How would your organization respond to an "ITAR-free" contract requirement? 29) What factory tests would your organization perform to demonstrate reliability? 30) What warranties for total system performance would your organization provide? 31) What existing sonar Government Furnished Information would your organization require? 32) What existing sonar Government Furnished Equipment would your organization require? 33) What does your organization consider a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) level of effort for this project? 34) What does your organization consider a ROM level of effort for the ongoing OA tech refresh hardware and software costs? Note: Once again, this announcement does not constitute a commitment by the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this LOI or other- wise pay for the information solicited. The Government shall not be bound by anything stated in this LOI. The Government reserves the right to change, at any time, all or any part of the project requirements, as it considers necessary. The Government also reserves the right to finalize its procure- ment approach, as it considers appropriate, either based upon information submitted in response to this LOI or for any other reason whatsoever. Although the documents / information / data collected may be provided as commercial -in-confidence and will not be provided to a third party outside of the Government, the Government of Canada reserves the right to use ... information on existing capabilities or to assist them in drafting the performance specifications and budgetary estimates for the UWSU project. Suppliers are requested to provide an information package addressing the above on or before 20 May 2008. A point of contact for the Suppliers should be included ... The package should be submitted in three (3) copies and if any information is available in soft copy, one (1) soft copy and must be provided to the address below ... Public Works and Governments Services Canada Electronics, Simulators and Defence Systems Division, QF Place du Portage, Phase III, 8C2 11 Laurier Street Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0S5 Attention: Lesley Martin, 070QF Delivery Date: Above-mentioned The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement. Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada. ... Contact(s) Contracting Authority Name Lesley Martin Address 11 Laurier St. / 11, rue Laurier 8C2, Place du Portage City Gatineau State / Province Québec Country Canada Postal Code K1A 0S5 Phone (819) 956-0222 ( ) Fax (819) 956-0767 |
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