Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessel

In 2006 Prime Minister Stephen Harper had spoken about building three to four icebreakers capable of travelling through thick ice in the Arctic Ocean.[21][22][23] In 2007 it was announced that the Canadian Armed Forces would purchase six to eight patrol ships having an ice class of Polar Class 5, meaning that they were capable of limited ice breaking,[24] based on the Norwegian Svalbard class.[12] This announcement was met with some controversy, and the proposed ships have been called "slush-breakers", by Dr. Gary Stern, a scientist aboard CCGS Amundsen, and Jack Layton of the NDP.[25][26] However, it is notable that of the nineteen Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers currently in service, only six have an ice class higher than Polar Class 5.[27]

In 2010 the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship Project was grouped with several other federal government ship procurement projects for the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard into the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). The NSPS announced on 19 October 2011 that Irving Shipbuilding would be awarded the $25 billion contract for building six to eight Arctic patrol ships as well as fifteen other warships for the RCN over the next two decades.[28]

Norwegian Coast Guard vessel NoCGV Svalbard, on which the Harry DeWolf class is modelled.

In April 2013, the Rideau Institute and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released a report on the proposed AOPS. The report was written by UBC Professor Michael Byers and Stewart Webb. The report's conclusion was that Canada would be better suited to have purpose built ships, namely icebreakers for the Arctic and offshore patrol vessels for the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.[29] In May, the CBC revealed that the projected cost of the design phase of the project was many times what other countries paid for similar ships based on the same Norwegian class for design, construction, and full-up operational deployment of multiple ships. Design is usually projected to consume 10–20% of the project cost. The projected design cost of the ship class is $288 million, versus an expert cost estimate that they should only cost $10–15 million to design, in addition to $5 million Canada paid to Norwegian for the design of Svalbard. The Norwegians spent less than $100 million for the initial design and fielding of the first unit in 2002, NoCGV Svalbard. The Danish built two ships for $105 million in 2007, and the Irish did the same for $125 million.[13]

In September 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the name of the first ship in the class would be Harry DeWolf, named in honour of wartime Canadian naval hero Harry DeWolf, and that the class would be named the Harry DeWolf class.[30] In December it was found that not enough money had been projected to cover the cost of building the six to eight planned ships and that the budget would need to be increased, delaying the signing of the contract.[31] However, in an effort to drive down costs, Irving Shipbuilding could only project building five ships with the option to build a sixth only if it came under budget. The budget for the project was increased from $3.1 billion to $3.5 billion to ensure a cash buffer.[32]

On 13 April 2015 the government announced a second ship would be named Margaret Brooke in honour of Margaret Brooke. During the Second World War, Brooke, a navy nursing sister, was decorated for her actions during the sinking of the passenger ferry SS Caribou.[33] The third ship will be named Max Bernays for Chief Petty Officer Max Bernays who served aboard HMCS Assiniboine during the Second World War and was decorated for his actions during the sinking of the German submarine U-210.[34] The fourth ship will be named for William Hall, a Victoria Cross (VC) recipient from Nova Scotia and the first black person to be awarded the VC, for his actions during the Siege of Lucknow.[35][36] The fifth ship will be named for Frédérick Rolette, a French-Canadian sailor of the Royal Navy who, during the War of 1812, was second-in-command of the ship Lady Prevost at the Battle of Lake Erie.[37]

On 2 November 2018, the option for the sixth ship was taken up.[38] The name has not been officially announced. The cost of the sixth vessel is expected to be higher due to the tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by both Canada and the United States.[39]

On 22 May 2019, it was be announced two more ships will be built for the Canadian Coast Guard.[40]

The vessels' design was initially intended to incorporate a conventional icebreaking bow for cruising, and would have proceeded backwards for breaking heavy ice. The vessels' stern would have been designed for ice breaking and they would have employed azimuth thrusters for propulsion and for chewing through resistant ice. However, due to cost constraints, a conventional bow-first design was chosen for both light and heavy icebreaking. The propulsion would be provided by diesel-electric twin shafts with bolt-on propellers, similar to existing Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers. The vessels' ice class is Polar Class 5, but the bow region is further strengthened to higher Polar Class 4 level.[50]

The vessels will have a hangar and flight deck capable of employing and maintaining the same maritime helicopters as the RCN's other vessels: the CH-148 Cyclone and the CH-149 Cormorant.[11]

In 2008, a contract was awarded to BMT Fleet Technology and STX Canada Marine to assist in developing technical specifications and a design for the project. The technical specifications were to be used to draft a request for proposals. The government later awarded a design contract to BMT Fleet Technology and STX Canada Marine to develop the design of the vessel for issue to the selected NSPS proponent.

The ships will be built in three large mega blocks: centre, aft and bow. Each mega block will consist of 62 smaller building blocks. The first steel was cut on Harry DeWolf in September 2015.[2]

The ships are designed to displace 6,440 metric tons. They are capable of outfitting multiple payload options such as shipping containers, underwater survey equipment, or a landing craft. The vessels have a 20-tonne crane to self-load/unload, and a vehicle bay to carry vehicles for deployment over the ice. The design also calls for an enclosed cable deck and forecastle to better cope with the Arctic environment. On the open sea, the ship has fin stabilizers to reduce roll that are retractable during ice operations.[3]

• National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy
• Nanisivik Naval Facility
• Project 23550 patrol ship