In the

Canadian 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. ...

, Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC, french: links=no, Forces maritimes du Pacifique, FMAR(P)) is responsible for the fleet training and operational readiness of the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the 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 subma ...

in the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...

. It was once referred to as Canadian Pacific Station. The commander of Maritime Forces Pacific (COMMARPAC) is also the commander of Joint Task Force Pacific (COMMJTFP), holding the rank of rear admiral. COMMJTFP is responsible for all Canadian Forces operations (such as search and rescue or disaster aid) in British Columbia and its adjacent territorial waters. Reporting to the commander is the commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific (COMCANFLTPAC), holding the rank of commodore. This officer commands Canadian Fleet Pacific (CANFLTPAC), and is responsible for the operation and readiness of all warships, auxiliaries and support vessels.

MARPAC facilities

MARPACHQ is located 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 ...

Esquimalt The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to the west by Esqui ...

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, for ...

, near

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. * * NOTC Venture Whiskey 601 is the regularly used name for an often used naval weapons exercise area off the west coast of Canada. The area's official title was "W-601". The name was usually shortened to "Whiskey" by sailors in the

. Whiskey 601 was notorious for rough seas and bad weather. Whiskey 601 was decommissioned as an exercise area in the 1990s.

MARPAC units

* Canadian Fleet Pacific ** Frigates *** *** *** *** *** ** Coastal defence vessels *** *** *** *** *** *** ** Submarines *** *** *** **Patrol and training vessels *** Orca-class patrol vessel *

* Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton * Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) * Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy * Naval Officers Training Centre Venture * Naval Training Development Centre (Pacific) * CFAD Rocky Point * Naval Radio Section Aldergrove * Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges The RCAF unit 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron is part of

12 Wing Shearwater Canadian Forces Base Shearwater , commonly referred to as CFB Shearwater and formerly named HMCS ''Shearwater'', is a Canadian Forces facility located east southeast of Shearwater, Nova Scotia, on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour in the Hal ...

but is headquartered at

Patricia Bay Patricia Bay ("Pat Bay" to locals) is a body of salt water that extends east from Saanich Inlet and forms part of the shoreline of North Saanich, British Columbia. It lies due west of Victoria International Airport. A municipal park covers most of ...

near CFB Esquimalt and works closely with MARPAC. The squadron provides the onboard helicopter detachments for CANFLTPAC ships. After World War II to prior to Unification in 1968 the RCN's Pacific Command assignments: * Fleet squadrons ** Second Canadian Escort Squadron – assigned with escort destroyers ** Second Canadian Minesweeping Squadron – minesweepers paid off 1960s or as training vessels in 1990s ** Fourth Canadian Escort Squadron – assigned with (escort)

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed an ...

s ** Special Duties – assigned maintenance ship, trainer submarine and training ship * Naval air squadrons ** VU-32 Utility Squadron – assigned various fixed-wing and rotary aircraft: ***

Grumman TBF Avenger The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) is an American World War II-era torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air and naval a ...

–

anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...

(A/S) patrol ***

Beechcraft Expeditor The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November ...

– navigation training and short-range transport ***

De Havilland Canada De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited is an aircraft manufacturer with facilities formerly based in the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The original home of de Havilland Canada was the home of the Canadian Air and Space Museum lo ...

built

Grumman Tracker The Grumman S-2 Tracker (S2F prior to 1962) was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft to enter service with the United States Navy. Designed and initially built by Grumman, the Tracker was of conventiona ...

CS2F – A/S patrol ***

Lockheed Silver Star The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then ...

– jet trainers *** Douglas Dakota – utility transport and other roles ***

Bell Twin Huey The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter. It is a member of the extensive Huey family, the initial version was the CUH-1N Twin Huey (later CH-135 Twin ...

– assigned after Unification in 1970–1971

References

External links

* {{Authority control

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

Pacific Ocean Military units and formations established in the 1970s

MARPAC facilities

MARPAC units

See also

References

External links