HMCS Calgary (FFH 335)
HMCS Calgary in 2014
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History | |
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Canada | |
Name | Calgary |
Namesake | Calgary, Alberta |
Builder | Lévis |
Laid down | 15 June 1991 |
Launched | 28 August 1992 |
Commissioned | 12 May 1995 |
Refit | HCM/FELEX June 2011 – June 2012 |
Homeport | CFB Esquimalt |
Identification |
|
Motto | "Onward" |
Honours and awards | |
Status | in active service |
Badge | Or, a bend wavy azure charged with a like bendlet argent. In front across the centre of a bow stringed fess-wise, and arrow point upwards in pale, both sable. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Halifax-class frigate |
Displacement |
|
Length | 134.2 m (440 ft 3 in) |
Beam | 16.5 m (54 ft 2 in) |
Draught | 7.1 m (23 ft 4 in) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
Range | 9,500 nmi (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) |
Complement | 225 (including air detachment) |
Armament |
|
Aircraft carried | 1 × CH-148 Cyclone |
HMCS Calgary is a
Description and design
The Halifax-class frigate design of which Calgary belongs, was ordered by the
As built, the Halifax-class vessels
This gives the frigates a maximum speed of 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) and a range of 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) while using their diesel engines.[5][6] Using their gas turbines, the ships have a range of 3,930 nautical miles (7,280 km; 4,520 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). The Halifax class have a complement of 198 naval personnel of which 17 are officers and 17 aircrew of which 8 are officers.[6]
Armament and aircraft
As built the Halifax-class vessels deployed the
As built, the anti-shipping role is supported by the
As built, the main gun on the
Countermeasures and sensors
As built, the decoy system comprises two
Two Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) SPG-503 (STIR 1.8) fire control radars are installed one on the bridge-top and one on a raised platform on the forward end of the helicopter hangar. The ship is also fitted with Raytheon AN/SPS-49(V)5 long-range active air search radar operating in C and D bands, Ericsson HC150 Sea Giraffe medium-range air and surface search radar operating in G and H bands, and a Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band navigation radar. The sonar suite includes the CANTASS Canadian Towed Array and GD-C AN/SQS-510 hull mounted sonar and incorporates an acoustic range prediction system. The sonobuoy processing system is the GD-C AN/UYS-503.[6]
Modernization
The Halifax class underwent a modernization program, known as the Halifax Class Modernization (HCM) program, in order to update the frigates' capabilities in combatting modern smaller, faster and more mobile threats. This involved upgrading the command and control, radar, communications, electronic warfare and armament systems. Further improvements, such as modifying the vessel to accommodate the new Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter and satellite links will be done separately from the main FELEX program.[7]
The FELEX program comprised upgrading the combat systems integration to CMS330. The SPS-49 2D long range air search radar was replaced by the Thales Nederland SMART-S Mk 2 E/F-band 3D surveillance radar, and the two STIR 1.8 fire control radars were replaced by a pair of Saab Ceros 200 fire control radars. A Telephonics IFF Mode 5/S interrogator was installed and the Elisra NS9003A-V2HC ESM system replaced the SLQ-501 CANEWS. An IBM multi-link (Link 11, Link 16 and Link 22 enabled) datalink processing system was installed along with two
Operational history
Calgary was
On 10 July 1995, Calgary was sent to the Persian Gulf as part of the force used to enforce sanctions on Iraq, her mission lasting until December of that year.[5][9] While en route home, she assisted the sinking bulk carrier Mount Olympus. She rescued all 30 members of the crew, taking them to the freighter Rodopi.[5] Calgary deployed as part of the NATO blockade of Yugoslavia in the Adriatic Sea.[10]
In 1999, while participating in the naval exercise "Tandem Thrust", Calgary suffered the breakdown of one of her diesel generators. The following year the frigate redeployed to the Persian Gulf, once again as part of the group enforcing sanctions against Iraq, replacing sister ship Regina.[5][11] Calgary sailed to the Persian Gulf in 2003 as part of Operation Apollo. During her time in theatre, the ship conducted 24 boardings of suspect vessels. Calgary was the last ship to deploy as part of the operation, which ended with the ship's departure on 1 November 2003.[12]
In 2008, with the
On 6 June 2011 Calgary was turned over to Seaspan Marine Corporation's Victoria Shipyards, to start an 18-month mid-life upgrading and modernization. Calgary was returned to the Royal Canadian Navy from Victoria Shipyards on 1 June 2012 and as of fall 2013 conducted
Calgary participated in RIMPAC 2014 in June 2014, the first time that China will participate in the operation.[15] Calgary, accompanied by Winnipeg, Yellowknife and Brandon, departed in October 2014 to take part in San Francisco Fleet Week and the Task Group Exercise (TGEX) with the US Navy in American coastal waters.[16]
In October 2015, Calgary, along with Chicoutimi and Vancouver, participated in the TGEX naval exercise.[17] In June 2016, Calgary, Vancouver, Saskatoon and Yellowknife sailed from Esquimalt to participate in the RIMPAC naval exercise.[18]
On 25 February 2018, 10,000–20,000 litres (2,600–5,300 US gal)
On 23 April 2021, while operating off the coast of Oman as part of CTF 150, Calgary intercepted a vessel suspected of smuggling and recovered 1,286 kg (2,835 lb) of heroin. Less than 24 hours later, the ship intercepted a second vessel and recovered 360 kg (790 lb) of methamphetamine.The combined total worth is over $23.22 million.[25] The frigate took part in the multinational naval exercise Talisman Sabre alongside other Pacific Rim nations in July off Australia.[26] The ship returned to Canada on 31 August.[27]
Command team
- Commanding Officer: Commander Adriano Lozer
- Executive Officer: Lieutenant Commander Andrew Berry
- Coxswain: Chief Petty Officer First Class Armand Reelick [28]
References
Notes
Citations
- ^ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ Office of the Prime Minister of Canada (9 May 2014). "South-West Asia Theatre Honours" (Press release). Ottawa, Ontario: Government of Canada. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
- ^ Canadian Navy, HMCS Calgary – The Ship Archived 4 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Milner, p. 284
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Macpherson and Barrie, p. 291
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Saunders, p. 90
- ^ "Halifax-class Modernization / Frigate Life Extension". National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ Scott, Richard (26 May 2016). "Halifax class upgrade on finals [CANSEC2016D2]". janes.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ Tracy, p. 204
- ^ Tracy, p. 226
- ^ Tracy, p. 262
- ^ Milner, p. 320
- ^ Tracy, pp. 277, 279
- ^ Tracy, p. 285
- ^ Pugliese, David (26 June 2014). "Full list of participating forces and military assets for RIMPAC 2014". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ Pugliese, David (9 October 2014). "HMCS Calgary, Winnipeg, Brandon and Yellowknife set sail for U.S. exercise". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ "Pacific Fleet warship departs for joint exercise in California". Victoria Lookout. 13 October 2015. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ Petrescu, Sarah (13 June 2016). "Navy ships leave for exercise off California". Times Colonist. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ "Navy ship spills 30,000 litres of fuel off B.C. coast". CTV News. The Canadian Press. 25 February 2018. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ Kines, Lindsay (27 February 2018). "Less fuel spilled from HMCS Calgary than first reported". Times Colonist. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ Watts, Richard (30 July 2018). "HMCS Calgary embarks on Asia Pacific mission". Times Colonist. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ "Canadian frigate visits Vietnam's Da Nang". Xinhua. 26 September 2018. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
- ^ Kelly, Tim (7 November 2018). "Canada joins effort to counter China with Asian warship drills". Reuters. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ Watts, Richard (18 December 2018). "For crew of MV Asterix, return home means a chance to refuel". Times Colonist. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ Pekic, Sanja (4 May 2021). "RCN's HMCS Calgary makes the largest-ever heroin bust". Naval Today. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ Coyne, Todd (19 July 2021). "Canadian warship joins multinational exercise off Australia". CTV News. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ Lepine, Hannah (31 August 2021). "HMCS Calgary returns home to Vancouver Island after successful operations abroad". CHEK News. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ^ "Frigates – Command Teams". Royal Canadian Navy. Government of Canada. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
Sources
- Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
- Milner, Marc (2010). Canada's Navy: The First Century (Second ed.). Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-8020-9604-3.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–05. Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
- Tracy, Nicholas (2012). A Two-Edged Sword: The Navy as an Instrument of Canadian Foreign Policy. Montreal, Quebec and Kingston, Ontario: McGill-Queens University Press. ISBN 978-0-7735-4051-4.