If selected as the successful bid, CEA Technologies would provide key elements of the vessel. The frigates would also be integrated with Saab's 9LV (CMS). Canada's in-service Halifax-class frigates already have elements of the 9LV CMS.

Saab Australia is currently undertaking a major recruitment drive to attract engineers after the government mandated the use of its CMS across the Royal Australian Navy fleet.

Saab Australia will provide its 9LV Combat Management System – the brains of the ship – for all ships in the Navy, except the Future Frigates and Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs).

The Future Frigates and AWDs will have an Aegis combat system with an Australian developed SAAB interface to manage the non-American systems. The technology will allow the vessels to shoot down long-range missiles as part of the government's efforts to counter threats from rogue states.

Along with the CSC program, Navantia is also bidding for Australia's SEA 5000 project to design and build nine Australian future frigates.

Lockheed Martin Canada and the UK's BAE Systems have also submitted a joint proposal for Canada's new fleet of up to 15 warships, a project the Canadian government is expecting to cost about CAD$56-60 billion.

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Under the joint bid, the companies are offering BAE Systems' Type 26 Global Combat Ships (GCS), a variant of which – the GCS-A – has been offered to Australia by BAE Systems for the SEA 5000 project. The Type 26 GCS is currently being manufactured for the UK Navy at BAE Systems’ facilities in Glasgow.

The joint bid is also made up of CAE, L3 Technologies, MDA and Ultra Electronics.

Under the joint solution, Lockheed Martin will act as the combat systems integrator, offering the internationally renowned Canadian-developed combat management system, CMS 330.