Posted on 04/08/2016 8:29:47 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
For the first time in its history the Royal Canadian Navy has successfully fired a ship-based precision missile at a target on land.
The frigate HMCS Vancouver fired the missile last week off the coast of California during a joint training exercise with the U.S. navy.
The Harpoon Block II missile is an improved version of the anti-ship missile carried by Canadian frigates for decades.
Before the upgraded weapons system was installed, the only way for a frigate to attack a target on land was to use its 57-mm main gun, which has a range of only 17 kilometres, compared with 124 kilometres for the Harpoon Block II.
"This would give the Canadian military the ability to sail in the Mediterranean Sea and strike targets in Libya," says Elinor Slone, a professor of international relations at Carleton University and a former defence analyst with the Department of National Defence.
"If we were to send special forces into Libya, they could call in strikes against ISIS, which has now infiltrated Libya, so there's going to be a necessity for some sort of action there," she said.
Canada's allies such as the U.S. navy and Britain's Royal Navy have been able to fire missiles at land targets from the sea for decades, primarily with the larger Tomahawk cruise missile. Sloan said Canada's navy has been asking for this weapon for the past 20 years.
Missiles could have helped 2011 Libya mission
During the NATO led mission in Libya, HMCS Charlottetown patrolled the Mediterranean coast. On May 30, 2011, it came under rocket attack, although the ship wasn't damaged and none of the crew was injured.
Sloan suggested that if the NATO coalition had more precision-guided weapons such as the Harpoon Block II at its disposal during the Libya campaign, the conflict might have been resolved in the summer of 2011 rather than October of that year.
The new missile system gives the navy the ability to defend itself when attacked, in what naval planners call littoral warfare — conflicts in the coastal regions of the world.
The 12 Halifax class frigates in the Royal Canadian Navy can carry up to eight Harpoon missiles each.
The frigates, commissioned between 1992 and 1997, are now receiving their so-called midlife updates.
The $4.3-billion program involves replacing much of the ships' systems, including weapons, sensors and damage control. All 12 frigates are expected to be back in active service by 2018.
"Years of work and innovation have led us to this point, and our sailors now have one more reason to hold their heads high," said Commodore Jeff Zwick, Commander Maritime Fleet Pacific in a release. "The success … demonstrates the navy's commitment to providing a modern, flexible, and combat-capable maritime force — not only above, on, and below the seas — but one that is now also capable of striking from sea to shore."
A Harpoon Block II surface-to-surface missile is launched from HMCS Vancouver toward shore targets during a Joint Littoral Training Exercise between the Royal Canadian Navy and U.S. navy at a missile firing range off the coast of California. ( Leading Seaman Sergej Krivenko/Royal Canadian Navy)
.... NICE ..... Did they at least hit the whale?
Whee.
i promise
i promise
no Senator Cruz jokes
i promise
/smile
smile
smile
this doesn’t qualify as a Cruize missile, does it?
/s
/s
smile
smile
smile
Actually it it is a cruise missile. The fly at Mach .9 3 to 5 feet off the top of the waves
I’m not making a joke
Rosie O’Donnell has not been seen since..
Looks like Wee Justin just blew his whole military budget for this year
Cool! Thanks. Although Some left wing reporter might ask Ted why the attack on America? /smile smile
Oh Woe is me... Why's everybody always pickin on me???
Not sure I would have advertised this. I can see some jihadi counting down 7....6....5...4...to empty.
Seems to me that, even with a range of only 17 km, a Canadian frigate has the ability to sail in the Med, and to strike targets in Libya (as long as they aren't more than, say, 16 km inland).
Regards,
That “up to 8” means LOADED in the launchers. There ARE stores below decks, and resupply is usually only a couple hundred miles away.
You would NOT want to sail a major warship having only a 57 mm gun to hit land targets even in utterly weak nations, given the likelihood of a host of threats: antiship missiles, coastal defense guns, speedboats and so forth.
That’s the reason why the U.S. and European vendors have developed rocket-assisted projectiles for 127 mm guns, giving them a range of around 100+ km. Those are less expensive than using land attack missiles, but have the range to keep your ship safe.
Glad to hear it!
canadians asking for this missile for 20 years?
build one yourselves, already.....sheesh.
probably part of the reason trudeau came to d.c. and kissed up to obama 3 weeks ago.
“That “up to 8” means LOADED in the launchers. There ARE stores below decks, and resupply is usually only a couple hundred miles away”
This the Canadian Military we are talking about. Most likely they just launched one of the three missles they had. If things go south we will be protecting Canada. Either that or Canada goes the Swiss route of neutrality. Hey don’t rule it out with pretty boy, left of Obama running the show up there now.
And why wouldn't you? Canada is your only neighbor who is not invading you right now and has no intention of doing so.
PM Dope's recent trip to Washington had nothing to do with deploying this system.
What would we need you to protect us from?
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