.gif)
HMCS St. John's (FFH 340)
Encyclopedia
HMCS St. John's (FFH 340) is a that has served in the Royal Canadian Navy
since 1996.
St. John's is the eleventh ship in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project
. She is the first vessel to carry the designation .
St. John's was laid down on 24 August 1994 at Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd.
, Saint John
and launched on 26 August 1995. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 26 June 1996 and carries the hull classification symbol
340.
She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic
(MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax
.
and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone
.
St. John's has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean
; specifically the Persian Gulf
and Arabian Sea
on anti-terrorism operations.
St. John's has also participated in several NATO missions, patrolling the Atlantic Ocean as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and its successor Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1
(SNMG1).
St. John's has also operated in the Caribbean, she was docked at Freeport, in Montego Bay Jamaica in late August 2008.
In July 2010 St John's took part in the International Fleet Review at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Queen Elizabeth II inspected a Guard of Honour on board HCMS St John's to mark the centenary of the Canadian Navy, and as part of Canada Day celebrations.
In 1996 the frigate responded to a may day sent out from a British sailing yacht called Bridget which was sinking 250 miles (402.3 km) off shore in the Atlantic. They were able to rescue a family of 3 in storm conditions with seas as high as 30 m. One of the rescued sailors, Peggy Seddon, says the crew not only saved their lives but they also raised over $1000 to help the family rebuild their lives. Eight years later HMCS St John's docked in Gibraltar so the family were able to revisit the frigate and present them with a plaque to commemorate the event. Amy Seddon, who was only 8 years old at the time of the sinking was able to take her grandparents on board to meet the crew.
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
since 1996.
St. John's is the eleventh ship in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project
Canadian Patrol Frigate Project
The Canadian Patrol Frigate Project was a procurement project undertaken by the Department of National Defence beginning in 1975 to find a replacement for the , , , and destroyers.-Contract award:...
. She is the first vessel to carry the designation .
St. John's was laid down on 24 August 1994 at Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd.
Saint John Shipbuilding
Saint John Shipbuilding was a Canadian shipbuilding company located in Saint John, New Brunswick. It operated from 1923-2003.-History:Numerous shipyards were located on the shores of Courtney Bay in the east end of Saint John Harbour where extensive mud flats dried at low tide.In 1918 it was...
, Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
and launched on 26 August 1995. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 26 June 1996 and carries the hull classification symbol
Hull classification symbol (Canada)
The Royal Canadian Navy uses hull classification symbols to identify the types of its ships, which are similar to the United States Navy's Hull classification symbol system...
340.
She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic
Maritime Forces Atlantic
In the Canadian Forces, Maritime Forces Atlantic is responsible for the fleet and operations of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean. The Commander of MARLANT is a two-star Rear Admiral....
(MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
.
Service
St. John's serves on MARLANT missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and enforcing 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...
.
St. John's has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic 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.
St. John's has also participated in several NATO missions, patrolling the Atlantic Ocean as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and its successor Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1
Standing NRF Maritime Group 1
Standing NATO Maritime Group One is one of NATO's standing maritime Immediate Reaction Forces. Prior to 1 January 2005 it was known as Standing Naval Force Atlantic...
(SNMG1).
St. John's has also operated in the Caribbean, she was docked at Freeport, in Montego Bay Jamaica in late August 2008.
In July 2010 St John's took part in the International Fleet Review at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Queen Elizabeth II inspected a Guard of Honour on board HCMS St John's to mark the centenary of the Canadian Navy, and as part of Canada Day celebrations.
In 1996 the frigate responded to a may day sent out from a British sailing yacht called Bridget which was sinking 250 miles (402.3 km) off shore in the Atlantic. They were able to rescue a family of 3 in storm conditions with seas as high as 30 m. One of the rescued sailors, Peggy Seddon, says the crew not only saved their lives but they also raised over $1000 to help the family rebuild their lives. Eight years later HMCS St John's docked in Gibraltar so the family were able to revisit the frigate and present them with a plaque to commemorate the event. Amy Seddon, who was only 8 years old at the time of the sinking was able to take her grandparents on board to meet the crew.