A St-Jean-sur-Richelieu defence contractor has won $493 million in work to develop communications and radar technology for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Jason Kenney, Canada's minister of national defence, made the announcement Monday morning.

Rheinmetall Canada will manufacture radios, a special smart phone with combat management software, GPS and radio-equipped helmets. It will also build portable radar systems that can be carried by truck.

The company must produce an initial run of equipment for testing by spring of 2016 before it is granted the full contracts.

If the work goes ahead as planned, the contracts are expected to sustain about 80 jobs.

cbc.ca