.gif)
HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331)
Encyclopedia
The third HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) is a , launched on July 8, 1989, as the second vessel of her class. She is currently based at CFB Esquimalt
.
in 1977 as a replacement for the aging Saint Laurent, Restigouche, Mackenzie and Annapolis classes of Destroyer
Escorts (DDEs), which were all tasked with anti-submarine warfare. In 1983, the federal government approved the budget for the design and construction of the first batch of six new frigates of which Vancouver was a part of out of twelve that were eventually built. To reflect the changing long term strategy of Maritime Command during the 1980s and 1990s, the Halifax-class frigates was designed as a general purpose warship with particular focus on anti-submarine
capabilities.
The design of the Halifax-class frigates reflected many advances in ship construction, such as a move to a prefabricated unit construction method, where the ship, is assembled from prefabricated units in a drydock, instead of the traditional keel-laying. Furthermore, the design of Halifax class frigate incorporated many new technical improvements. For example, the Halifax class is first to be equipped with the Integrated Machinery Control System(IMCS), which allows for a very high degree of computer control for the machinery plant.
Vancouver was 'laid down' on 19 May 1988 at Saint John Shipbuilding
in New Brunswick
, the second ship of her class. She was launched on 8 July 1989. After trials, she then was commissioned on 23 August 1993 in her namesake city of Vancouver alongside Canada Place
, third ship of the class, as sister ship HMCS Toronto
commissioned almost a month before her. After commissioning, she was assigned CFB Esquimalt, British Columbia
on Vancouver Island
as the first Halifax-class frigate to be based out of CFB Esquimalt.
, Vancouver and her sisters have been a primary part of Canada's anti-terrorism naval forces in the Middle East
. For instance, Vancouver has been an integrated part of an American
carrier battle group
, led by the in 2002. Because of the similarities between the Canadian and American navies, terminology and operating procedures and communications equipment, it is relatively easy for Canadian ships of all classes to serve with her American counterparts.
, Vancouver had been used to intercept suspicious and unknown vessels at sea, and had on occasion boarded vessels to prevent the escape of fugitive
s onboard ships, and the transit of contraband
. After a distinguished but unremarkable tour of service in the Arabian Sea
, her role in Apollo ended. She was replaced by another Halifax-class frigate to serve much the same role. Vancouver has also spent time carrying the Canadian flag more locally, including a trip to Oregon
in 2003 and a visit to her namesake city of Vancouver to celebrate the tenth anniversary of her being commissioned.
to join the NATO-led air-sea Operation Unified Protector
during the 2011 Libyan civil war
. The overall Canadian Forces contribution to Operation Unified Protector is known as Operation Mobile
. She relieved HMCS Charlottetown
, which had been on patrol in the region since the early spring.
ship of the line
sailing west along the ocean. The vessel in the crest is intended to represent HMS Discovery
, which, under the command of Captain George Vancouver
, mapped much of North America's north-western coast and learned more about the area than had hereto been discovered. Among the geographical locations named after Vancouver is the city Vancouver, British Columbia, the namesake of Vancouver. The crest has been maintained through the history of all three Canadian vessels named Vancouver, right up until the most recent Halifax-class frigate, HMCS Vancouver
.
was a destroyer
, among the earliest ships delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy
. Formerly HMS Toreador
of the Royal Navy
, Vancouver was paid off in November 1936. Less than six years later, the second Vancouver was commissioned for the Second World War. A Flower-class
corvette, Vancouver served until the end of the war, until it was paid off in late June 1945. It would be another forty years until the name Vancouver was once again active in the Canadian navy, when the modern Vancouver was planned as part of the Halifax-class. Vancouver is one of the most often used names in Canadian naval history, with only HMCS Ottawa
having been used more frequently.
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....
.
Construction
The Halifax-class frigates of which Vancouver belongs to was ordered by the Canadian Forces Maritime CommandCanadian 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...
in 1977 as a replacement for the aging Saint Laurent, Restigouche, Mackenzie and Annapolis classes of Destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
Escorts (DDEs), which were all tasked with anti-submarine warfare. In 1983, the federal government approved the budget for the design and construction of the first batch of six new frigates of which Vancouver was a part of out of twelve that were eventually built. To reflect the changing long term strategy of Maritime Command during the 1980s and 1990s, the Halifax-class frigates was designed as a general purpose warship with particular focus on anti-submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
capabilities.
The design of the Halifax-class frigates reflected many advances in ship construction, such as a move to a prefabricated unit construction method, where the ship, is assembled from prefabricated units in a drydock, instead of the traditional keel-laying. Furthermore, the design of Halifax class frigate incorporated many new technical improvements. For example, the Halifax class is first to be equipped with the Integrated Machinery Control System(IMCS), which allows for a very high degree of computer control for the machinery plant.
Vancouver was 'laid down' on 19 May 1988 at Saint John Shipbuilding
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...
in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, the second ship of her class. She was launched on 8 July 1989. After trials, she then was commissioned on 23 August 1993 in her namesake city of Vancouver alongside Canada Place
Canada Place
Canada Place is a building situated on the Burrard Inlet waterfront of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the home of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver's World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre . The building's exterior is covered by...
, third ship of the class, as sister ship HMCS Toronto
HMCS Toronto (FFH 333)
HMCS Toronto is a that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1993.Toronto is the fourth ship in her class which is the name for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the designation ....
commissioned almost a month before her. After commissioning, she was assigned CFB Esquimalt, 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...
on 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...
as the first Halifax-class frigate to be based out of CFB Esquimalt.
Career
The Halifax Class Frigates have been the backbone of Canadian Navy operations. The ships are considered to be the best ships of their size in the world. With an on board helicopter, towed array sonar, offensive and defensive weapons they bring a full package of capabilities to any operation. They are a welcome addition to any multi-national fleet and the only ships the USN allows to be fully integrated in the US Surface Action Groups and Carrier Battle Groups.War On Terror
Since the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade CenterWorld Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, Vancouver and her sisters have been a primary part of Canada's anti-terrorism naval forces in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. For instance, Vancouver has been an integrated part of an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
carrier battle group
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
, led by the in 2002. Because of the similarities between the Canadian and American navies, terminology and operating procedures and communications equipment, it is relatively easy for Canadian ships of all classes to serve with her American counterparts.
Operation Apollo
During Operation ApolloOperation APOLLO
Operation APOLLO was the codename for an operation conducted by Canadian Forces in support of the United States in its military operations in Afghanistan. The operation took place from October 2001 to October 2003...
, Vancouver had been used to intercept suspicious and unknown vessels at sea, and had on occasion boarded vessels to prevent the escape of fugitive
Fugitive
A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals...
s onboard ships, and the transit of contraband
Contraband
The word contraband, reported in English since 1529, from Medieval French contrebande "a smuggling," denotes any item which, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold....
. After a distinguished but unremarkable tour of service in the 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...
, her role in Apollo ended. She was replaced by another Halifax-class frigate to serve much the same role. Vancouver has also spent time carrying the Canadian flag more locally, including a trip to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in 2003 and a visit to her namesake city of Vancouver to celebrate the tenth anniversary of her being commissioned.
Libyan conflict
On Sunday July 10, 2011, Vancouver left its home port of EsquimaltEsquimalt, British Columbia
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 Esquimalt Harbour and Royal Roads, to the northwest by the...
to join the NATO-led air-sea Operation Unified Protector
Operation Unified Protector
Operation Unified Protector was an NATO operation enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 concerning the 2011 Libyan civil war and adopted on 17 February and 17 March respectively...
during the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
. The overall Canadian Forces contribution to Operation Unified Protector is known as Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile was the name given to Canadian Forces activities in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The United States' counterpart to this was Operation Odyssey Dawn, the French counterpart was Opération Harmattan and the British counterpart was Operation Ellamy...
. She relieved HMCS Charlottetown
HMCS Charlottetown (FFH 339)
HMCS Charlottetown is a that has served in the Royal Canadian Navy since 1995.Charlottetown is the tenth ship in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the third vessel to carry the designation ....
, which had been on patrol in the region since the early spring.
Badge
The ship's badge of the Vancouver depicts a square-rigged, Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
sailing west along the ocean. The vessel in the crest is intended to represent HMS Discovery
HMS Discovery
Eleven ships of the Royal Navy and a reserve shore establishment of the Canadian Navy have borne the name HMS/HMCS Discovery, while ships of other branches have also used the name:...
, which, under the command of Captain George Vancouver
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
, mapped much of North America's north-western coast and learned more about the area than had hereto been discovered. Among the geographical locations named after Vancouver is the city Vancouver, British Columbia, the namesake of Vancouver. The crest has been maintained through the history of all three Canadian vessels named Vancouver, right up until the most recent Halifax-class frigate, HMCS Vancouver
HMCS Vancouver
Several Canadian naval units have been named HMCS Vancouver after the city. was an Thorneycroft S class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy as from 1919 until her transfer to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1928...
.
Heritage
The modern Vancouver is the third Canadian ship to bear the name. The first HMCS VancouverHMCS Vancouver (F6A)
HMCS Vancouver, , was a Thornycroft S class destroyer, formerly HMS Toreador built for the Royal Navy in 1917-19.This ship, along with her sister HMS Torbay, were donated by the British Government to Canada in March 1928 to replace their two existing destroyers, HMCS Patrician and HMCS Patriot...
was a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, among the earliest ships delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy
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...
. Formerly HMS Toreador
HMS Toreador
Toreador was the name of two ships of the Royal Navy., an S Class destroyer., a requisitioned Great Western Railway passenger ferry....
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, Vancouver was paid off in November 1936. Less than six years later, the second Vancouver was commissioned for the Second World War. A Flower-class
Flower class corvette
The Flower-class corvette was a class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic...
corvette, Vancouver served until the end of the war, until it was paid off in late June 1945. It would be another forty years until the name Vancouver was once again active in the Canadian navy, when the modern Vancouver was planned as part of the Halifax-class. Vancouver is one of the most often used names in Canadian naval history, with only HMCS Ottawa
HMCS Ottawa
Four Canadian naval units have been named HMCS Ottawa. was C class destroyer commissioned as in the Royal Navy before serving with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1938-1942....
having been used more frequently.