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As global defence companies expand their presence in Canada, where they choose to invest matters. Nova Scotia gives companies direct access to key defence and security customers such as the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Canadian Coast Guard, along with proven industrial capability, skilled talent and a connected innovation ecosystem. Lockheed Martin Canada’s long-standing growth in the province demonstrates what that advantage looks like in practice.
For more than 85 years, Lockheed Martin Canada has been a trusted partner in supporting Canada’s defence and security priorities. Nova Scotia has been central to that work, providing the naval expertise, highly skilled workforce, industrial capability and customer proximity that have enabled Lockheed Martin Canada to expand its Canadian footprint and develop made-in-Canada solutions that support the operational needs of the Canadian Armed Forces and its allies.
Today, Nova Scotia continues to offer that ideal and rare combination of talent, industrial capabilities and strategic opportunity to support Lockheed Martin Canada’s long-term commitment to Canada’s defence and security needs.
A simple glance out the window to the Halifax Harbour places defence companies within sight of Canada's Atlantic Fleet, and at the centre of major naval construction and sustainment activity. It is here where Canada’s Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and River-class destroyers are being built.
Strategically positioned between North America and Europe, Nova Scotia is home to Canada's Atlantic Fleet and one of the country's largest concentrations of naval, shipbuilding, and in-service support capabilities, providing a critical gateway to North Atlantic and NATO operations. This operating environment gives companies closer access to customers, skilled talent, suppliers and long-term defence opportunities.
Lockheed Martin Canada’s Atlantic workforce has played a key role in keeping the Royal Canadian Navy’s ships ready and operational for decades, beginning more than 40 years ago with the Halifax-class frigates and continuing to this day through the development, integration and sustainment of advanced combat management systems, like the Combat Management System 330 (CMS 330). That continuity demonstrates the value of operating close to the customer and within an established naval ecosystem where capability is developed over decades rather than through a single contract.
“Lockheed Martin Canada’s long-standing footprint in Nova Scotia is a defining part of who we are and the role we play in supporting Canada’s defence and security needs,” says Stephen Isaacs, General Manager for Lockheed Martin Canada Rotary and Missions Systems. “Nova Scotia is home to approximately 40 per cent of our workforce, and the highly skilled talent and proximity to Canada’s Navy makes the province critical to our continued growth and success.”
Today, with over 500 employees in Nova Scotia, Lockheed Martin Canada serves as a foundational anchor in the province’s defence sector, collaborating with customers, suppliers and partners to support long-term naval contracts in Canada and around the globe.
Over the past five years alone, the company’s presence has supported an average of 941 direct and indirect jobs annually and driven $736 million in total value added to the province’s economy* – and its footprint is only expanding with the growing global demand for the CMS 330 technology.
Built for and trusted by the Royal Canadian Navy for more than 30 years, CMS 330 is now being adopted by allied navies around the world, including the Chilean Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy, and most recently, the German Navy’s entire surface fleet. This international success demonstrates how defence capability developed and sustained in Nova Scotia can reach global defence markets and earn global adoption.
Nova Scotia’s specialized talent has played a key role in the development and growth of the CMS 330 program, demonstrating the strength of the region’s engineering, software and advanced technology workforce.
Lockheed Martin Canada works with a supply chain of more than 1,000 companies across Canada. These relationships create transformative opportunities for local businesses while helping ensure the RCN has access to reliable, specialized capability.
“Our strength lies in our partnerships,” Isaacs explains. “We are constantly connected with our wide network of suppliers, many of whom are local Nova Scotia companies with regional expertise, a skilled workforce and a steadfast dedication to Canada’s sailors.”
Throughout its longstanding presence in Nova Scotia, Lockheed Martin Canada has collaborated with government, academia, industry and community organizations. Its dedicated engagement with COVE since 2019 supports research, technology development, commercialization and partnerships focused on supporting next-generation capability.
Home to Canada’s future defence talent, Nova Scotia’s post-secondary institutions offer a steady stream of next-generation talent, while Lockheed Martin Canada’s co-op opportunities offer students the chance to work side-by-side with real-world professionals.
In July 2026, Lockheed Martin Canada announced its continued expansion in Nova Scotia, including plans to create up to 320 new jobs and contribute up to $126 million in salaries and benefits to the province’s economy over five years.
Supported by Invest Nova Scotia, the expansion reflects the advantages that have underpinned the company’s success in Nova Scotia for decades: proximity to the Royal Canadian Navy, an experienced defence workforce, proven industrial capability, and a connected ecosystem supporting future defence technologies. Together, these strengths help reinforce Canada’s role in the global defence industry.
“The success we’ve seen here, from the talented local workforce and supply chain to the strong networks we’re honoured to be a part of, is a real demonstration of the incredible opportunity Nova Scotia offers to help shape the next generation of defence capability,” Isaacs says.
Learn how Nova Scotia's defence ecosystem can support your company's growth.
