The ''Orca''-class patrol vessels are a class of eight steel-hulled training and surveillance vessels in service with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) at Patrol Craft Training Unit (PCTU) Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. Based on the Australian

Pacific-class patrol boat The Pacific class (also known as the Pacific Forum classToppan & Walsh, ''World Navies Today: Other Asia-Pacific Navies'' and the ASI 315 class) is a class of 22 patrol boats built by Australia and donated to twelve South Pacific countries. Th ...

design, all of the ''Orca'' vessels were constructed by Victoria Shipyards between November 2004 and November 2008. In addition to carrying the RCN designation of patrol craft training (PCT), the ''Orca''-class are not formally commissioned in the RCN and as such do not possess the His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) prefix.

Design and construction

In the early 2000s, the Canadian Forces Maritime Command (MARCOM) began searching for a replacement for its aging 1950s-era wooden-hulled YAG 300 training tenders. While training aboard the YAG vessels was considered useful, initial training of naval officers was moving towards more modern land-based simulators that more accurately replicated the conditions aboard RCN capital ships. On 8 November 2004 the Department of National Defence (DND) announced a C$69.7 million contract for six new ships, with an option for two more for a total budget of C$90.7 million. Based on the Australian Tenex Defence designed Pacific-class '' Seahorse Mercator'', the Canadian-built ''Orca'' class shares the same hull design as the Australian vessel, but is uniquely 15% larger. Stretched to the maximum allowed by the contract, the Canadian ''Orca-''class was designed to allow for the hull to be able to withstand any increase in the size and weight of future equipment. With the change in size, also came a change to the propulsion system, crew accommodations and bridge structure. Designed to accommodate a 12.7 mm M2 machine gun, the foredeck was strengthened and extra fire protection was added, requiring a new firemain supply to the new ammunition storage lockers. This redesign led to several systems, including the auxiliary seawater and bilge systems to be upgraded. In addition, requirements under the ''Canada Shipping Act'' and Canadian naval requirements also necessitated the installation of a third generator, changing the electrical supply to 120 Volts/60 Hertz and a redesigned water cooling system. Designed as a "'stepping stone' to larger fleet warships", the ''Orca'' was also designed with a larger wheelhouse fitted with warship-grade navigational equipment. The large bridge offers expansive views all around ensuring safety and enhancing training value. Below the bridge, is a sixteen-seat training room with reconfigurable seating, desks and a multimedia centre, also serves as a mess and medical area. As the training room sits atop of the machinery space, a multi-component acoustic system and absorbent material was used for sound deadening. The ''Orca''-class were the first vessels of its size to be built to the

American Bureau of Shipping American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

(ABS
High-Speed Naval Craft (HSNC) A1 classification
and is constructed using

CSA CSA may refer to: Arts and media * Canadian Screen Awards, annual awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television * Commission on Superhuman Activities, a fictional American government agency in Marvel Comics * Crime Syndicate of Amer ...

G40.21 50W/350WT high strength structural steel. Known for its reliability in cold climates, it is the same type of steel used in the

Halifax-class frigate The ''Halifax''-class frigate, also referred to as the City class, is a class of multi-role patrol frigates that have served the Royal Canadian Navy since 1992. The class is the outcome of the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project, which dates to the mi ...

. Each ''Orca''-class vessel shares the same dimensions of being long, a beam of , a draught of , and a displacement of 210 tonnes. Powered by two Caterpillar 3516B marine diesel engines, each rated for 2,500 horsepower at 1,600 revolutions per minute, they are capable of , and have an endurance of at . Able to be operated by a core crew of five, the maximum bunk space on the Orcas is twenty-four with two two-bunk cabins for the crew (officer in charge, executive officer, senior bosun's mate, ''Orca''-class engineer) two six bunk cabins and two four bunk cabins for instructors and trainees. Each ''Orca'' carries one Zodiac SR2 inflatable rescue boat that holds two sailors. Orca-class patrol vessels

Employment

As dedicated training tenders, the ''Orcas'' are primarily used to facilitate numerous one-to-six-week long at-sea training evolutions for training both regular and reserve force RCN

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 contex ...

s. The vessels are also used to train non-commissioned members and provide an at sea experience for the teenage members of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. The ''Orcas'' are considered vessels of opportunity for surveillance and search and rescue and are all homeported at

CFB Esquimalt Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters. , 4,411 military personnel and 2,762 civilians work at CFB Esquim ...

. During Operation Podium, the Canadian Forces support of the

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gretz ...

, three ''Orcas'' were temporarily fitted with 12.7 mm machine guns for

port security Port security is part of a broader definition concerning maritime security. It refers to the defense, law and treaty enforcement, and counterterrorism activities that fall within the port and maritime domain. It includes the protection of the se ...

duties. On 15 June 2017, while was docked at CFB Esquimalt, PCT 61 ''Cougar'' struck the submarine as it was exiting the dockyard. The initial inspection following the collision showed only superficial damage to the protective gear around the submarine and only minor damage to ''Cougar''s propeller.

Ships in class

During the early stages of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the Canadian Government acquired fourteen large yachts from the United States and all were given animal names upon commissioning in the RCN All but ''Orca'' and ''Raven'' perpetuate the names of those armed yachts and all have a connection to

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

lore. ''Cougar'', ''Moose'', and ''Wolf'' are the third vessels to carry those names as they also perpetuate the names of Canadian Fairmile B motor launches used by the

Canadian Forces Naval Reserve The Naval Reserve (NAVRES, french: link=no, Réserve navale) is the Primary Reserve component of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations, in ...

as training ships after the Second World War. All eight ''Orca''-class vessels were constructed by Victoria Shipyards at

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. The ...

with the first in class PCT 55 ''Orca'', was laid down in September 2005, launched in August 2006, and delivered to MARCOM in November 2006. The remaining ''Orcas'' delivered were: PCT 56 ''Raven'' in March 2007; PCT 57 ''Caribou'' in July 2007; PCT 58 ''Renard'' in September 2007; PCT 59 Wolf in November 2007; PCT 60 ''Grizzly'' in March 2008; PCT ''Cougar'' in July 2008 and PCT 62 ''Moose'' in November 2008.

Gallery

File:ORCA HMCS55.jpg, PCT 55 ''Orca'' File:Orca class patrol vessels 1.JPG, PCT 56 ''Raven'' File:Orca PCT 59 Wolf.jpg, PCT 59 ''Wolf''

External links

DND/CF page on the ''Orca''-class vessels
* ttp://www.cntha.ca/tech-hist/oral-written-hist/histories/bill-van-dinther.html Interview with Bill van Dinther

References

{{Royal Canadian Navy Ships built in British Columbia Auxiliary training ship classes Auxiliary search and rescue ship classes Naval ships of Canada