Canadian Ships Flex Their Muscles ahead of 2014 Deployments

Approximately 900 personnel from the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force are participating in a major fleet exercise this week until March 14, 2014, off the Eastern seaboard. This exercise will also see the contribution of United States Coast Guard vessel, USCG Campbell, and the Federal German Ship (FGS) Bonn, a Berlin-class replenishment ship.

Participating units from Canada are HMC ships Iroquois, Preserver, Ville de Quebec and Windsor, as well as a 14 Wing Greenwood CP-140 Aurora aircraft and a 12 Wing Shearwater CH-124 Sea King helicopter.

“Exercises such as this aim to stress ships’ companies in high-tempo, difficult environmental conditions and complex scenarios. HMC Ships will be using this exercise as an opportunity to conduct training as a key springboard to operational deployments in 2014,” said Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander of Maritimes Forces Atlantic.

This specific exercise also aims to prepare HMCS Ville de Québec to conduct pre-deployment training of a ship’s company in preparation for future naval deployments.
Canada’s recent decision to recapitalize the Navy’s fleet replenishment capability utilizing a design from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, similar to that used for the construction of FGS Bonn, increases the excitement for the participation of this Berlin-class ship. RCN members will be able to witness first hand some of the capabilities offered by this class of vessel.

Press Release, February 28, 2014; Image: Wikimedia