The current National Shipbuilding Strategy is not sustainable. Money is being pumped in, but how much is coming out? There does not appear to be a 'Plan B' to mitigate the risk to the Navy’s basic viability. [node:read-more:link]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that Chantier Davie Canada, based in Lévis, Quebec, has joined the roster of shipyards formally approved for Defence Department and Coast Guard work. The decision evidently was prompted by a decade of CDC lobbying and delivery delays by Seaspan Shipyards of Vancouver and Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax. [node:read-more:link]
In a bid to reboot flagging recruitment, the Royal Canadian Navy is offering unique “no strings attached” trials to citizens and permanent residents aged 16 to 57. They have the option of a one-year full- or part-time contract in Nova Scotia or British Columbia and then the opportunity to be assigned a trade. [node:read-more:link]
Taxpayers will find out in two months how much extra it will cost to fix a number of problems on the navy’s multi-billion-dollar fleet of Arctic and offshore patrol ships. Paul Thompson, Deputy Minister at Public Services & Procurement Canada has said that costs are coming down despite a $780-million spike over the past year. [node:read-more:link]
In response to Haiti’s request for assistance, Canada is deploying two Kingston-class ships to Haiti as violence continues to escalate and hamper any progress in the country. [node:read-more:link]
One hundred years ago today, the Government of Canada authorized the organization of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. Since then, the Naval Reserve has played a critical role in Canada’s safety and security. Today's modern Naval Reserve includes some 4,100 members across Canada. [node:read-more:link]
The Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Fredericton and its crew left Halifax January 22 on a six-month deployment to Operation Reassurance in the Mediterranean along with another frigate, HMCS Montreal, and the support ship HMCS Asterix. ““There absolutely is a heightened sense of urgency,” said Rear-Admiral Brian Santarpia, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic. “They will monitor Russian activity on a daily basis. [node:read-more:link]
As the Canadian military plans to resume weapons testing in an area off the southern tip of Vancouver Island after a three-year hiatus, British research shows increased ambient noise levels are forcing dolphins to “shout” to hear each other. Also, the European Commission has found that underwater noise levels have doubled every decade in the last 60 years, mainly due to increased shipping. [node:read-more:link]
A 24-year Royal Canadian Navy veteran who retired in 2017 has been reprimanded and fined $7,000 for repeatedly assaulting a 20-year-old female cadet aboard HMCS Oriole, the navy tall ship, in 2006. James R. Levesque, 59, who had pled not guilty to all charges, was found guilty last May of assault, sexual assault and uttering threats during a summer training voyage to Alaska from Victoria. [node:read-more:link]
After a three-year hiatus to study the effects on marine mammals of weapons training at the southwestern tip of Vancouver Island, the Canadian Armed Forces plans to resume the program. It cites a Toronto-based engineering company’s study which concluded that current measures to mitigate harmful effects of surface and aerial gunnery in the Strait of Juan de Fuca are effective. [node:read-more:link]
Two Royal Canadian Navy coastal defence vessels left Halifax today on the RN’s sixth deployment to Operation Projection in West Africa. HMCS Glace Bay and HMCS Moncton will conduct exercises, engagements and port visits to promote stability in the Gulf of Guinea. The two-and-a-half-month deployment includes the 12th Exercise Obangame Express, which begins January 23, focusing on piracy, terrorism and smuggling in the Gulf. [node:read-more:link]
The latest projected cost of having six Arctic offshore patrol ships for the Navy and two similar vessels built for the Canadian Coast Guard is upwards of $6.5 billion, according to the federal government and its procurement department. The cost of the naval ships has risen to $4.98 billion from an earlier estimate of $4.3 billion while the CCG estimate has risen by $100 million from $1.6 billion. [node:read-more:link]
With two years remaining before Irving Shipbuilding begins construction of the first of the navy’s new Canadian Surface Combatant fleet, designed to replace current destroyers and frigates, the federal government has spent $4.8 billion so far. This is according to figures presented to the House of Commons two months after the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated the total lifetime cost of the 15-ship program at $306 billion. [node:read-more:link]
The Royal Canadian Navy’s Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, HMCS Harry DeWolf, is expected to be out of service until April because of problems with its main diesel generators. Since Irving Shipbuilding’s warranty has expired, taxpayers are on the hook for repairs to the AOPS flagship, which was delivered to the Navy in July 2020. Meanwhile, the third in the fleet, HMCS Max Bernays, accepted from Irving in September 2022, is having bowthruster issues. The navy also plans to have a look at the second of a planned six AOPS, HMCS Margaret Brooke, which was delivered in July 2021. [node:read-more:link]
HMCS Vancouver and Winnipeg have returned to their home port of CFB Esquimalt, after successfully completing their deployments. On hand for the return from the three-month multinational tour that included Operation Neon to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea, Minister Anand highlighted the government’s commitment to spending $493 million to strengthen Canada’s growing role in the Indo-Pacific region. [node:read-more:link]
