What the River-Class Destroyer Means for Canada's Naval Power

Canada’s River-class destroyer program reached a major milestone on June 12, 2026, with the ceremonial keel laying of the future HMCS Fraser in Halifax. Construction of the 15-ship fleet is underway, with the first vessel expected to be delivered in the early 2030s. Designed to replace the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and Halifax-class frigates, the River-class will provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a new generation of combat capabilities. In this episode of the Expert Series, RAdm (Ret’d) Brian Santarpia, former Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, discusses the capabilities of the River-class destroyers and the potential role of a proposed Continental Defence Corvette in strengthening Canada’s naval forces. He examines advances in air defence, anti-submarine warfare, and long-range land attack; the threats posed by Russian submarines and growing demands across Canada’s Arctic and ocean approaches; the potential role of smaller warships in coastal security, mine countermeasures, and maritime surveillance; and the recruitment, retention, and crew-generation challenges that will shape the Navy’s ability to protect Canadian sovereignty and contribute to allied operations. ➡️ LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/cdainstitute ➡️ Twitter/X: https://x.com/CDAInstitute ➡️ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cdainstitute... ➡️ Instagram: https://bit.ly/42ih7SU 📬 Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest defence and security updates delivered to your inbox: https://bit.ly/4fQ2wDV The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: https://cdainstitute.ca/ The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute