According to the Defense News website in the United States, the Canadian Navy has recently officially launched the construction of a new type of ship for the "Canadian Surface Combat Ship" project. This project is part of Canada's large-scale shipbuilding program. At present, the Canadian Navy's equipment is outdated and urgently needs to be updated and replaced. The main active battleships of the Canadian Navy are 12 Halifax class frigates, with a displacement of approximately 5000 tons and an average service life of over 27 years. Since 2007, the Canadian Navy has been continuously improving the performance and extending the lifespan of Halifax class frigates, but the relevant technical indicators are difficult to meet combat needs. In addition, two Annapolis class and two Lestigush class improved frigates were built in the 1950s and 1960s, some of which lacked military level radar and battlefield self-defense weapon systems and were once deemed unsuitable for use on the battlefield. In fact, the Canadian government proposed an ambitious "National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy" as early as 2011, planning to invest 25 billion Canadian dollars (approximately 18 billion US dollars) to purchase 23 new surface combat vessels by 2020. In 2019, the Canadian government reached a cooperation agreement with Lockheed Martin Canada and Irving Shipbuilding to jointly develop 15 new ships to replace the Halifax class frigates, and named the project "Canadian Surface Combat Ships". It is reported that as the future main combat vessel of the Canadian Navy, the new vessel will be equipped with the US Aegis system, with a maximum displacement of 8000 tons and a maximum speed of 27 knots. At present, the project vessel has been officially named the River class destroyer. In addition to updating Canadian naval equipment, Canada also intends to enhance its domestic shipbuilding capabilities through this project. Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair has stated that the River class destroyers will be built on Canadian soil, with the first ship, the Fraser, expected to be operational in 2035, and all 15 of these destroyers expected to be completed by 2050. According to the Canadian government's assessment, the 25 year shipbuilding period is expected to create more than 10000 jobs, drive more than 4000 local enterprises to provide services for the project, and generate at least 40 billion Canadian dollars in gross domestic product. Analysis suggests that the Canadian Navy is facing certain difficulties in promoting the construction of river class destroyers. Firstly, the first ship of the River class destroyer is scheduled to enter service in 2035. By then, the Halifax class frigate will have exceeded its service period, and the Canadian Navy will face high maintenance costs and significant safety hazards. Secondly, Canadian Department of Defense officials stated that the final budget for the "Canadian Surface Combat Ship" project has not been fully determined. It is expected that the total cost of the project will exceed 80 billion Canadian dollars in the future. Considering that Canada will also purchase weapons and equipment such as F-35 fighter jets, there may not be enough funds to complete the above procurement. Once again, the Canadian Navy is currently facing difficulties in conscription and a shortage of troops, and will also face the challenge of recruiting sufficient crew for river class destroyers in the future. (Lai Xin She)