![Naval Ensign of Canada](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Naval_Ensign_of_Canada.svg)
The
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...
(RCN) is tasked to provide maritime security along the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic coasts of Canada, exercise Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic archipelago, and support Canada's multi-national and bilateral interests overseas. It comprises the Pacific Fleet at
Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt, and the Atlantic Fleet at
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax is Canada's east coast naval base and home port to the Royal Canadian Navy Atlantic fleet, known as Canadian Fleet Atlantic (CANFLTLANT), that forms part of the formation Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT).
It ...
. CFB Esquimalt is on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, and is home to 15 vessels and 6,000 staff, the headquarters for Maritime Forces Pacific, His Majesty's Canadian (HMC) Dockyard Esquimalt, Fleet Maintenance Facility – Cape Breton (FMF-CB), Fire Fighting and Damage Control School, the Naval Officer Training Centre (NOTC Venture), and extensive housing. CFB Halifax is home port for the 18 vessels of the Canadian Atlantic Fleet and situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia. CFB Halifax employs 7,000 civilians and military staff, and hosts the Canadian Atlantic Fleet headquarters, HMC Dockyard Halifax, FMF Cape Scott, extensive maritime research facilities, an ammunition depot, and the four maritime squadrons of the
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
that deploy helicopters aboard ships. The
Canadian Armed Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
are currently constructing a new naval facility at
Nanisivik
Nanisivik ( iu, ᓇᓂᓯᕕᒃ, lit=the place where people find things; ) is a now-abandoned company town which was built in 1975 to support the lead-zinc mining and mineral processing operations for the Nanisivik Mine, in production between 19 ...
, Baffin Island, to provide a summer port for RCN patrols in the Canadian arctic.
With the loss of area air defence capabilities in 2015 (and, temporarily, at-sea replenishment capabilities), the RCN was, at that time, classified as a Rank 5 navy (offshore regional coastal defence) on the
Todd-Lindberg navy classification system
A blue-water navy is a maritime force capable of operating globally, essentially across the deep waters of open oceans. While definitions of what actually constitutes such a force vary, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea con ...
, dropping from Rank 3 (multiregional power projection). Commissioned vessels are designated as '
His Majesty's Canadian Ship' (HMCS), minor ships as 'Patrol Craft Training' (PCT) and auxiliaries as 'Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel' (CFAV).
Submarines
![HMCS Corner Brook](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/HMCS_Corner_Brook.jpg)
The
''Victoria'' class are British built diesel-electric fleet submarines designed in the late 1970s to supplement the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
's nuclear submarine force. They were decommissioned at the end of the Cold War. In 1998, Canada purchased the submarines to replace the aging s. 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.
Frigates
![HMCS Fredericton](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/HMCS_Fredericton.jpg)
The s 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
The littoral zone or nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely inundated), to coastal areas ...
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. As of 2018, all twelve ships had been refitted. Each holds a complement of 225 officers and crew. All ships of the class are named after major Canadian cities.
Offshore patrol ships
![HMCS Harry Dewolf under construction May 2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/HMCS_Harry_Dewolf_under_construction_May_2018.jpg)
The s are warships from the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) procurement project, part of the
National Shipbuilding Strategy
The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), formerly the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services. The NSS was developed under the Stephe ...
. In July 2007 the federal government announced plans for acquiring six to eight
icebreaking
An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters, and provide safe waterways for other boats and ships. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller ...
warships for the RCN. The class is based on the
Norwegian Coast Guard
The Norwegian Coast Guard ( no, Kystvakten) is a maritime military force which is part of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The coast guard's responsibility are for fisheries management, fisheries inspection, customs enforcement, border control, law e ...
ship , and is named after Vice Admiral
Harry DeWolf
Vice Admiral Henry George DeWolf (26 June 1903 – 18 December 2000) was a Canadian naval officer who was famous as the first commander of during the Second World War.
Early years
DeWolf entered the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in 1918 at age ...
. The class is equipped with a hangar and flight deck and can operate the
Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone
The Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone is a twin-engine, multi-role shipboard helicopter developed by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the Canadian Armed Forces. A military variant of the Sikorsky S-92, the CH-148 is designed for shipboard operations ...
. The ships can deploy with multiple payloads, including
shipping container
A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes. In the context of ...
s, underwater survey equipment or
landing craft
Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Pr ...
and have a crane for loading and unloading. They are for use in the
Arctic regions of Canada for patrol and support within Canada's
exclusive economic zone.
Maritime coastal defence vessels
![HMCS Nanaimo and Saskatoon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/HMCS_Nanaimo_and_Saskatoon.jpg)
The s 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
Minesweeping is the practice of the removal of explosive naval mines, usually by a specially designed ship called a minesweeper using various measures to either capture or detonate the mines, but sometimes also with an aircraft made for that ...
system, a route survey system, and a bottom object inspection vehicle.
Patrol & training vessels
s are primarily used for one-to-six-week long 'at sea'
naval officer
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
training. Regular force boatswains, engineers and naval communicators serve in these ships to train junior officers and non-commissioned sailors. They also patrol coastal waters for pollution infractions and fishing violations, and are frequently tasked for search and rescue operations. They operate year-round in the coastal waters of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
.
Support and auxiliary vessels
Interim auxiliary replenishment vessel
*
Sail training ships
![HMCS Oriole](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/HMCS_Oriole.jpg)
* (KC 480)
* HMSTV ''Goldcrest'' (KC 2355)
* HMSTV ''Tuna'' (KC 2372)
Torpedo and sound ranging vessels
*CFAV ''Sikanni'' (YTP 611)
*CFAV ''Stikine'' (YTP 613)
Yard diving tenders
*Unnamed (YDT 11)
*CFAV ''Granby'' (YDT 12)
*CFAV ''Tonnerre'' (YDT 21)
*CFAV ''Sechelt'' (YDT 610)
*CFAV ''Sooke'' (YDT 612)
Fireboats
* (YTR 561) – retired in 2014 and awaiting disposal
* (YTR 562)
Tugboats
Yard auxiliary general
*CFAV ''Pelican'' (YAG 4)
*CFAV ''Gemini'' (YAG 650)
*CFAV ''Pegasus'' (YAG 651)
*CFAV ''Albatross'' (YAG 661)
*CFAV ''Black Duck'' (YAG 660)
Development and procurement
![EGV Berlin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/EGV_Berlin.JPG)
The RCN is undergoing a complex program of capacity expansion, ship life extension, modernization and fleet procurement. The
Nanisivik Naval Facility
The Nanisivik Naval Facility (french: links=no, installation navale de Nanisivik) is a Canadian Forces naval facility on Baffin Island, Nunavut. The station is built at the former lead-zinc mine site near the former company town of Nanisivik. Th ...
on
Baffin Island
Baffin Island (formerly Baffin Land), in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, is the largest island in Canada and the fifth-largest island in the world. Its area is , slightly larger than Spain; its population was 13,039 as of the 2021 Canadia ...
in the arctic will provide shore services for fleet operations in the arctic during the four month summer season. The
National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy
The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), formerly the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services. The NSS was developed under the Stephe ...
will invest more than $60 billion into the development of Arctic capable patrol vessels, frigate-class surface warships, and long-range auxiliary supply vessels. Delivery has been initiated on a class of six vessels under the
Arctic Patrol Ship Project
''Harry DeWolf''-class offshore patrol vessels are warships of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) built within the Government of Canada Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) procurement project, part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy ...
. (A further two AOPS are planned for the Canadian Coast Guard). The commercial containership is currently in service as a fleet supply vessel, to meet operational requirements until the two new s are completed.
While up to 15 warships of the
Canadian Surface Combatant
The Canadian Surface Combatant, formerly the Single Class Surface Combatant Project is the name given to the procurement project that will replace the and warships with up to 15 new ships beginning in the mid to late 2020s as part of the Natio ...
/
Type 26 frigate
The Type 26 frigate or City-class frigate is a class of frigate being built for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, with variants also being built for the Australian and Canadian navies. The programme, known as the Global Combat Ship, was launched ...
program remain in the planning stages, the RCN has upgraded all current frigates with advanced systems and life extension maintenance to maximize operational capability into the 2030s. In addition to the fleet component, the Canadian Armed Forces has replaced the former
CH-124 Sea King
The Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King is a twin-engined anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter designed for shipboard use by Canadian naval forces, based on the US Navy's Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King, SH-3. It served with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and ...
helicopters with the
CH-148 Cyclone
The Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone is a twin-engine, multi-role shipboard helicopter developed by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the Canadian Armed Forces. A military variant of the Sikorsky S-92, the CH-148 is designed for shipboard operation ...
. The first six Cyclones were delivered June 2015 followed by a further two Block 1.1 Cyclones in November/December 2015. As of May 2021, 23 Cyclones had been delivered and the aircraft had reached initial operating capability. In May 2019, it was announced that the Skeldar V-200 UAV would be acquired for both the RCN and Canadian Special Forces. As a light helicopter UAV, it will be capable of operating from a range of RCN vessels. On 29 April 2019 Ocean Industries was awarded a contract to build four tugboats to replace both the Fire-class fireboat (one retired in 2014) and Glen-class tugs to be delivered beginning in 2021.
Glossary
See also
*
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...
*
Origins of the Royal Canadian Navy
At the onset of Confederation in 1867, political planners in Canada and Great Britain realized that Canada had substantial maritime interests to protect. Boasting the fourth largest Merchant Marine in the world, and deriving the majority of its f ...
*
History of the Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is one of the three environmental commands of the C ...
*
List of ships of the Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Navy was responsible for all of British North America, until Canadian Confederation in 1867. After Confederation the Royal Navy increasingly shared naval responsibilities with Canada but retained sole responsibility for other British c ...
*
Hull classification symbol (Canada)
The Royal Canadian Navy uses hull classification symbols to identify the types of its ships, which are similar to the United States Navy's hull classification symbol system. The Royal Navy and some European and Commonwealth navies (19 in total) us ...
*
His Majesty's Canadian Ship
*
List of aircraft of the Royal Canadian Navy
This is a list of aircraft of the Royal Canadian Navy covering the period until 1968 when all aircraft operations were transferred to the newly unified Canadian Armed Forces, originally with Maritime Command and since 1975 with Air Command, whic ...
References
Bibliography and further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Canadian Navy Fleet
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Royal Canadian Navy Ships Fleet
Canadian military-related lists