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HMCS Huron (DDH 281)
Encyclopedia
HMCS Huron (DDG 281) was an that actively served the Canadian Forces
from December 16, 1972 to October 23, 2000.
Huron was laid down on 1 June 1969 at Builder: (Marine Idustries of Sorel Quebec ]] and was launched on 9 April 1971. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 16 December 1972 and carried the pennant number
281.
Huron completed a refit known as the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project (TRUMP) on 25 November 1994. At this time her classification changed from Destroyer Helicopter (DDH) to Destroyer Guided Missile (DDG).
She was assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific
(MARPAC) and was homeported at CFB Esquimalt
.
and enforced Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone
.
Huron was also deployed on missions throughout the Pacific and to the Indian Ocean
; specifically the Persian Gulf
and Arabian Sea
on anti-terrorism operations.
Huron was deployed to the Persian Gulf
in winter 1991 as part of Operation FRICTION, the CF's contribution to Operation DESERT STORM (the Gulf War
) to replace her sister ship as flagship of the Canadian Naval Task Group. Huron arrived after hostilities ceased and patrolled for several months before returning to Esquimalt.
Huron was deployed to the Adriatic Sea
in 1993 in support of the United Nations
naval embargo of the former Yugoslavia
. In 1999 Huron intercepted a civilian ship smuggling illegal migrants off the coast of British Columbia
.
In 2006 MARPAC decided to use Huron in what would become the first sink-exercise that Maritime Command
(MARCOM) had ever conducted. The sink-ex was named Operation TRIDENT FURY and was planned to use a variety of MARPAC ships, US Navy
and AIRCOM
aircraft to bombard Huron with artillery, missiles, strafing fire, and finally be sunk by a torpedo launched from a submarine.
Huron was stripped of armaments and all environmentally harmful contaminants and fuel in winter 2006-2007. On 14 May 2007 Huron was towed to the MARPAC offshore weapons range west of Vancouver Island
. Despite being damaged by a Sea Sparrow surface to air missile and several other weapons, it was naval gunfire from sister that was responsible for sinking the hulk of Huron. Ironically, the main gun used by Algonquin was originally installed on Huron, meaning that Huron was sunk by one of its own weapons. This sinking marked the first Canadian warship to be operationally sunk in Canadian waters.
The sinking was the subject of a 2007 History Television
documentary "Sinking a Destroyer".
of babies onboard ship 1973 - 1997. The bell is currently held by the CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum, Esquimalt, BC.
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
from December 16, 1972 to October 23, 2000.
History
Huron was the second ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal-class or simply as the 280-class. She was the second vessel to use the designation .Huron was laid down on 1 June 1969 at Builder: (Marine Idustries of Sorel Quebec ]] and was launched on 9 April 1971. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 16 December 1972 and carried the pennant number
Pennant number
In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...
281.
Huron completed a refit known as the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project (TRUMP) on 25 November 1994. At this time her classification changed from Destroyer Helicopter (DDH) to Destroyer Guided Missile (DDG).
She was assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific
Maritime Forces Pacific
In the Canadian Forces, Maritime Forces Pacific is responsible for the fleet and operations of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Pacific Ocean...
(MARPAC) and was homeported at CFB Esquimalt
CFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....
.
Service
Huron served on MARPAC missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and enforced Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
.
Huron was also deployed on missions throughout the Pacific and to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
; specifically the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
on anti-terrorism operations.
Huron was deployed to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
in winter 1991 as part of Operation FRICTION, the CF's contribution to Operation DESERT STORM (the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
) to replace her sister ship as flagship of the Canadian Naval Task Group. Huron arrived after hostilities ceased and patrolled for several months before returning to Esquimalt.
Huron was deployed to the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
in 1993 in support of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
naval embargo of the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. In 1999 Huron intercepted a civilian ship smuggling illegal migrants off the coast of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Paying Off and sinking
Despite being the most recently refitted Iroquois-class destroyer, defence cutbacks during the late 1990s saw Huron placed in mothball status due to a personnel shortage in 2000. In 2005 she was paid off from the CF and awaited disposal at Esquimalt.In 2006 MARPAC decided to use Huron in what would become the first sink-exercise that Maritime Command
Canadian Forces Maritime Command
The Royal Canadian Navy , is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Forces. Operating 33 warships and several auxiliary vessels, the Royal Canadian Navy consists of 8,500 Regular Force and 5,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by...
(MARCOM) had ever conducted. The sink-ex was named Operation TRIDENT FURY and was planned to use a variety of MARPAC ships, US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and AIRCOM
Canadian Forces Air Command
The Royal Canadian Air Force , formerly Canadian Forces Air Command, is one of three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
aircraft to bombard Huron with artillery, missiles, strafing fire, and finally be sunk by a torpedo launched from a submarine.
Huron was stripped of armaments and all environmentally harmful contaminants and fuel in winter 2006-2007. On 14 May 2007 Huron was towed to the MARPAC offshore weapons range west of Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
. Despite being damaged by a Sea Sparrow surface to air missile and several other weapons, it was naval gunfire from sister that was responsible for sinking the hulk of Huron. Ironically, the main gun used by Algonquin was originally installed on Huron, meaning that Huron was sunk by one of its own weapons. This sinking marked the first Canadian warship to be operationally sunk in Canadian waters.
The sinking was the subject of a 2007 History Television
History Television
History Television is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that presents programming about history and some non-historical programming of military, science and technology interest. It is owned by Shaw Media. Its French language counterpart is Historia.The channel operates two...
documentary "Sinking a Destroyer".
Ships' Bell
The Christening Bells Project at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum includes information from the ship's bell of HMCS Huron (2nd) 1972, which was used for baptismBaptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of babies onboard ship 1973 - 1997. The bell is currently held by the CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum, Esquimalt, BC.