Article content continued

The CITT, however, has now rejected that complaint. “The Canadian International Trade Tribunal has determined that Alion Science and Technology Canada Corporation and Alion Science and Technology Corporation do not have standing to file a complaint before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal,” it noted in a statement.

The CITT did not explain how it determined the firm did not have standing to file a complaint. Sources say the issue may be linked to trade relations with the U.S. and what the CITT is allowed to examine.

The CITT will issue more details about its decision in the coming weeks.

Lockheed Martin Canada says the Type 26 will meet all of Canada’s requirements.

But the entry of the BAE Type 26 warship in the competition was controversial from the start. Previously, the government had said only mature existing designs or designs of ships already in service with other navies would be accepted for the bidding process, on the grounds they could be built faster and would be less risky — unproven designs can face challenges as problems are found once the vessel is in the water and operating.

But that criteria was changed and the Liberal government and Irving accepted the BAE design in the process, though at the time it existed only on the drawing board. Construction began on the first Type 26 frigate in the summer of 2017 for Britain’s Royal Navy, but it has not been completed.

Company claims about what the Type 26 ship can do, including how fast it can go, are based on simulations or projections.