Defense

Aberdeen based, Hydro Group Plc, a global design and manufacturer of underwater cables and connectors for subsea, underwater, topside and onshore applications, has secured a six figure contract with the Canadian Department of National Defence.

Hydro Group has been selected by the Canadian National Defence Organisation for cable repair work and to design and develop a new cable system infrastructure for an undersea sensor range installation in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The contract follows a string of successful projects supporting a Canadian Naval installation in Victoria, British Columbia in 2013. Hydro Group successfully repaired on-site a submerged sensor network that was out of service due to a damaged cable, restoring the range to full functionality, meeting environmental and life time requirements of the system.

Graham Wilkie, Hydro Group Sales Director, said: “The contract is a direct result of Hydro Group’s capabilities, as well as the quality of our work. We were pleased to receive the initial request for support from the Canadian National Defence Organisation and responded to the urgent need to return the damaged system to full operation.

“We are especially pleased that our initial service has led to the development of our business with the Canadian Defence Organisation and we will continue to design and deliver reliable cable connection systems to meet their requirements.”

Hydro Group’s cable and connectivity solutions are built to withstand the harshest environmental conditions, including salt water, shock, extreme temperature cycling and vibration. These factors place extreme pressure on the subsea systems, connectors and cables, resulting in the company’s connectors being designed and manufactured for flexibility and environmental endurance.

Jim Pedersen, an Electrical Engineer who serves as the Canadian Navy’s Undersea Electromagnetic Signature Authority, said: “We are delighted to be working with a supplier that can provide a product and service that meets the demanding needs of our undersea range sensor networks that must operate reliably in harsh subsea conditions.

“Hydro Group’s technologists and engineers are incredibly skilled, and have exclusive capabilities and product offerings which we witnessed first-hand. Our systems are required to be in operation continuously for many years without maintenance and Hydro Group provides a product and service that meets our needs perfectly.”

Hydro Group is at the forefront in the development and innovation of subsea product technologies, with involvement from prototype concept through to design, manufacture and project management. Hydro Group manufacture the complete package including FAT at its state-of-the-art facilities in Aberdeen, Scotland; umbilical cables, electrical and optical connection systems / assemblies for data, power and signal transmission. The company's customer base include all blue chip and major operators and contractors in both domestic and international subsea markets.

Photo Caption: Jim Pedersen, Electrical Engineer who serves as the Canadian Navy’s Undersea Electromagnetic Signature Authority with Graham Wilkie, Hydro Group Sales Director.