Replies

While not exactly a large fleet, the RCN has well-crewed surprisingly effective vessels.

Frigates

The Halifax-class frigates are multi-role vessels with anti-submarine, anti-aircraft and anti-ship capability. In response to recent global security interests, the role of the class has shifted from open ocean to littoral engagement. Innovations in operational tactics have allowed the vessels of this class to adapt to new asymmetric surface threats. To ensure effective long-term capacity in this new threat environment the ships are undergoing a refit, including passive and active weapons, radars, and new combat architecture to meet the modern requirements. To date, seven of the twelve ships have been refitted. Each holds a complement of 225 officers and crew. All ships of the class are named after major Canadian cities.

Ship

Pennant

Armament

Displacement

Propulsion

Service

Builder

Laid down

Commissioned

Fleet

HMCS Halifax FFH 330 24 Honeywell Mk 46 torpedoes
16 Evolved Sea-Sparrow SAM
8 RGM-84 Harpoon SSM
1 57 mm Bofors Mk2 gun
1 20 mm Vulcan Phalanx CIWS
6 .50 caliber machine guns
1 CH-148 Cyclone or
1 CH-124 Sea King
3,995 t (light)
4,795 t (operational)
5,032 t (deep load)
2 LM2500 Gas turbines
1 SEMT Pielstick Diesel engine
Saint John Shipbuilding 19 March 1987 29 June 1992 Atlantic
HMCS Vancouver FFH 331 Saint John Shipbuilding 19 May 1988 23 August 1993 Pacific
HMCS Ville de Québec FFH 332 Davie Shipbuilding 16 December 1988 14 July 1994 Atlantic
HMCS Toronto FFH 333 Saint John Shipbuilding 22 April 1989 29 July 1993 Atlantic
HMCS Regina FFH 334 Davie Shipbuilding 6 October 1989 29 December 1993 Pacific
HMCS Calgary FFH 335 Davie Shipbuilding 15 June 1991 12 May 1995 Pacific
HMCS Montréal FFH 336 Saint John Shipbuilding 8 February 1991 21 July 1994 Atlantic
HMCS Fredericton FFH 337 Saint John Shipbuilding 25 April 1992 10 September 1994 Atlantic
HMCS Winnipeg FFH 338 Saint John Shipbuilding 20 March 1993 23 June 1995 Pacific
HMCS Charlottetown FFH 339 Saint John Shipbuilding 18 December 1993 9 September 1995 Atlantic
HMCS St. John’s FFH 340 Saint John Shipbuilding 24 August 1994 16 June 1996 Atlantic
HMCS Ottawa FFH 341 Saint John Shipbuilding 29 April 1995 28 September 1996 Pacific

Submarines

The Victoria class are British built diesel-electric fleet submarines designed in the late 1970s to supplement the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine force. They were decommissioned at the end of the Cold War. In 1998, Canada purchased the submarines to replace the aging Oberon-class submarines. Refit for Canadian service included the removal of Sub-Harpoon missile firing and mine-laying capabilities, installation of torpedo launch systems and upgrades to weapons and fire control systems. Each vessel holds 53 crew.

Ship

Pennant

Armament

Displacement

Propulsion

Service

Builder

Laid down

Commissioned

Fleet

HMCS Victoria SSK 876 6 × 530 mm torpedo tubes
18 × Mark 48 torpedoes
2,220 t surfaced
2,439 t submerged
Diesel-electric (37 MW (50,000 hp))
2 Paxman Valenta 16 RPA diesel generators, 4,070 hp (3,030 kW)
2 GEC, 5,000 kW (6,700 hp) motor-generators
Cammell Laird 12 August 1987 December 2000 Pacific
HMCS Windsor SSK 877 Cammell Laird 13 March 1990 October 2003 Atlantic
HMCS Corner Brook SSK 878 Cammell Laird 10 January 1989 March 2003 Pacific
HMCS Chicoutimi SSK 879 2,296 t surfaced
2,540 t submerged
Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering February 1983 September 2015 Pacific

Maritime coastal defence vessels

The Kingston-class coastal defence vessels are multi-role vessels built and launched from the mid- to late-1990s and are crewed by a combination of Naval Reserve and Regular-Force personnel. Each vessel displaces 970 t and runs with a complement of between 31 and 47 officers and crew. Their main missions are counter narcotics, coastal surveillance, sovereignty patrol, route survey, and training. The ships’ capabilities include a mechanical minesweeping system, a route survey system, and a bottom object inspection vehicle.

Ship

Pennant

Armament

Displacement

Propulsion

Service

Builder

Laid down

Commissioned

Fleet

HMCS Kingston MM 700 1 × Bofors 40 mm 60 Mk 5C cannon
2 × M2 machine guns
970 t 2 × Jeumont DC electric motors
4 × 600VAC Wärtsilä SACM V12 diesel alternators
Halifax Shipyards 12 December 1994 21 September 1996 Atlantic
HMCS Glace Bay MM 701 Halifax Shipyards 28 April 1995 26 October 1996 Atlantic
HMCS Nanaimo MM 702 Halifax Shipyards 11 August 1995 10 May 1997 Pacific
HMCS Edmonton MM 703 Halifax Shipyards 8 December 1995 21 June 1997 Pacific
HMCS Shawinigan MM 704 Halifax Shipyards 26 April 1996 14 June 1997 Atlantic
HMCS Whitehorse MM 705 Halifax Shipyards 26 July 1996 17 April 1998 Pacific
HMCS Yellowknife MM 706 Halifax Shipyards 7 November 1996 18 April 1998 Pacific
HMCS Goose Bay MM 707 Halifax Shipyards 22 February 1997 26 July 1998 Atlantic
HMCS Moncton MM 708 Halifax Shipyards 31 May 1997 12 July 1998 Atlantic
HMCS Saskatoon MM 709 Halifax Shipyards 5 September 1997 5 December 1998 Pacific
HMCS Brandon MM 710 Halifax Shipyards 6 December 1997 5 June 1999 Pacific
HMCS Summerside MM 711 Halifax Shipyards