With site preparations complete, construction is underway on a new Land-Based Test Facility (LBTF) at Hartlen Point in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia.
The waterfront property will soon be home to four buildings: a gatehouse, a guardhouse, a cooling tower, and the main test facility. At its core will be a land-based, full-scale replica of a ship’s advanced combat systems. This facility will allow the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to test, integrate and de-risk mechanisms and processes before installation on operational ships.
The LBTF is a one-of-a-kind facility in Canada. While it’s not a weapons-testing facility, it will allow the Canadian Armed Forces to test crucial combat systems.
“This is a complex project with strict security requirements,” says Lee Billington, DCC Coordinator, Construction Services at CFB Halifax. “The steel structure is about 85% complete, and the next step is siding and roofing, as well as the permanent security fence which will be within the current construction fence.”
In addition to overseeing the construction, DCC has been integral in the environmental preservation and sustainability of the site. Together with a Project Manager from the Department of National Defence, the DCC team is working on a design for shoreline stabilization to mitigate erosion, with work scheduled to start this fall.
“DCC is very mindful of the ocean and any potential environmental impact this project could have,” Lee says.
The LBTF is the first piece of infrastructure to support the new fleet of River-class destroyers on their way to join the RCN, which will replace the current Halifax-class frigates and represent a significant upgrade in capability for the RCN. Construction of the facility is on track to finish in mid-2028, in time for anticipated delivery of the first of the River-class destroyers in the early 2030s.
“This facility will play an important role in ensuring new naval capabilities are tested and ready before deployment at sea,” Lee says.
For the latest public updates on this project, including the latest facility rendering, visit the Trident Newspaper website.