CCrroowwssnneesstt Vol. 3, No. 1 Spring 2009 Chief of the Maritime Staff Ready Aye Ready! Navy prepares for 2010 Olympics HMCS Calgary sails in front of Canada Place in Vancouver during a recent exercise to prepare for the 2010 Olympics. See the story on page 4. Photo: MCpl Nick Bichsel INSIDE “The ultimate Line drawings privilege and part of naval THIS honour” history ISSUE PAGE 2 PAGE 9 www.navy.forces.gc.ca “The ultimate privilege and honour” HMCS Winnipeg departs on overseas mission MCS Winnipeg departed Esquimalt, B.C., in long-standing relationships with countries such as early February for a six-month deployment to Australia and Japan, as well as allow us to reach out to H the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific other countries in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Rear Ocean. Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander Maritime Forces The frigate will join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 Pacific. “I am confident the sailors of HMCS Winnipeg (SNMG1) for part of the mission, while also undertaking will reinforce the reputation of excellence that Canadian training and exercises with navies of the U.S., Australia naval personnel enjoy around the world.” and other countries across Southwest Asia and the Led by Commander Craig Baines, and with a crew of Indian Ocean. 240, the ship, along with a CH124 Sea King helicopter SNMG1 is a multinational, integrated maritime force and air detachment, will visit several key countries in consisting of vessels from various alliance nations that the region such as Pakistan, India, Korea, Indonesia train and operate together as a single team. For just and Singapore. over two months, Winnipeg will join SNMG1 and deploy According to Cdr Baines, the mission will be conduct- through areas such as the Strait of Malacca, Java and ed in three parts. First, the ship will sail to the Seventh the South China Sea, an area of the world that is not Fleet area of responsibility to work with a U.S. Carrier usually frequented by NATO fleets. Strike Group in a multinational exercise off the Korean “Winnipeg’s deployment will strengthen Canada’s Peninsula. En route, the ship will conduct a tactical Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, bids farewell to HMCS Winnipeg as she departs her home port of Esquimalt, B.C. Photo: Cpl Pier-Adam Turcotte Senior Advisor Crowsnest is published quarterly on the authority of the Commander Denise LaViolette Chief of the Maritime Staff, Vice-Admiral Drew Robertson. Director, Navy Public Affairs Comments are welcome and can be sent to: Directorate of Navy Public Affairs Senior Editor and Writer National Defence Headquarters Darlene Blakeley 10ST, 101 Colonel By Dr., K1A 0K2 Directorate of Navy Public Affairs or [email protected] For the PDF version of this publication and for more information about the Canadian Navy, visit www.navy.forces.gc.ca. Banner photo, page 1: Commodore Ron Lloyd watches as a rigid-hull inflatable boat passes HMCS Athabaskan during a task group exercise. Photo by Cpl Peter Reed All articles written by Darlene Blakeley, except where otherwise noted. 2 www.navy.forces.gc.ca evolved sea sparrow missile (ESSM) firing against drone Test missiles successfully targets off Hawaii. launched by warship The second part of the deployment will MCS Winnipeg and her crew were see Winnipeg declared fully ready for operations with working with the successful launch of the recently SNMG1 during its H installed evolved sea sparrow missile (ESSM), first out-of-area an improved version of the medium-range deployment. Upon defence missile used completion of work- by most western ing with NATO, navies. Winnipeg will work The missile firing, with another U.S. conducted at the Photo: Cpl Pier-Adam Turcotte Carrier Strike Group U.S. Navy’s Barking Master Seaman Dominique Aubert and his in a multinational Sands missile range daughter Florence share some time exercise off together before the ship departs. off the coast of Australia. Hawaii, was a critical “This will be a unique deployment in many ways in final step in ensuring that the ship will be working with many countries and the ship’s readiness. conducting important port visits to places that Canadian Winnipeg fired test ships do not usually get to,” says Cdr Baines. versions of the He explains that when he took command of ESSM against Winnipeg in 2007, he already knew that it was likely the multiple, remote- ship would deploy in early 2009. “As a result, the crew controlled targets and I had a very clear focus on what we were training that simulated the for and what would be required to ensure that the ship ship being attacked was ready to deploy on time,” he says. by anti-ship missiles. As any crew that goes through the tiered readiness In place of a high program knows, it is a busy time with multiple assess- explosive war head, ments and challenges such as weapon’s certification, the test missiles are operations team training, high readiness work-ups, able to broadcast missile firing readiness inspections, and many other precise data of the technical and material checks designed to ensure that missile tracking the a ship is ready to deploy. target and measure “The pay-off for all this hard work is the deployment the effectiveness of itself and a state of readiness where the ship’s crew the weapon. gets to put into practice all they have learned and rep- Following the exer- resent their country in whatever way is required,” says cise, Winnipeg Cdr Baines. “They can conduct high-end operations, an reloaded the missile immediate response to developing crises, humanitarian system with the high aid, and many other maritime functions, all the while explosive weapons being sailor-diplomats in support of Canada’s interests for the deployment. in strategically important parts of the world.” “This is the culmi- Cdr Baines adds that over the past 18 months, he nation of a year of has been “incredibly impressed” with the dedication, extremely hard work positive attitude and work ethic of both Winnipeg’s by our crew,” says sailors and the personnel ashore who ensure the ship Commander Craig Baines, commanding officer of is ready for deployment. Winnipeg. “Beginning with the installation of the And personally, he is more than ready for the chal- new ESSM system, followed by weeks of along- lenge. “For a sea-going captain, the ultimate privilege side training and at-sea trials, the crew has put and honour is to take your ship over the horizon for an forth truly outstanding effort. I am very proud of extended period of time in support of your country,” them all.” Cdr Baines says. www.navy.forces.gc.ca 3 DDiivviinngg iinnttoo sseeccuurriittyy ooppeerraattiioonnss ffoorr tthhee 22001100 OOllyymmppiiccss Members of Fleet Diving Unit Pacific prepare to enter the water near Canada Place. Photo: Roderick Hopp By Lieutenant (Navy) Peggy Kulmala support the RCMP-led Integrated Security Unit by providing them information they need on who is where, t 10 p.m. on Feb. 12 – the very day the count- as well as trained people and unique assets to act if down clock started its one-year countdown to needed. In the end, sharing the watch with the RCMP A the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic and our other security partners allows us to respond to Games in Vancouver – the second of three govern- any circumstance in a coordinated manner.” ment-wide Olympic security exercises officially drew to The Canadian Forces has routinely supported almost a close. every major public event in Canada, from political sum- Between Feb. 9 and 12, more than 100 municipal, mits to the Olympic Games, alongside the RCMP and provincial and federal agencies came together to test other security and law enforcement partners. security, safety and emergency “Contributing to the safety and security of Canadians management frameworks. The here at home is the Canadian Forces’ first priority,” said three exercises will be com- RAdm Pile. “The men and women of your Canadian bined with other ongoing safety Forces are looking forward to welcoming the world and preparedness exercises alongside all other Canadians. Whether it is keeping planned by all three levels of watch over our ocean approaches, assisting our citi- government. zens during times of need, or protecting our skies, it is “A safe and successful 2010 important to take care of Canadians at home.” Winter Games depends on the collective contributions of many governmental and non-govern- mental organizations and agen- Photo: Cpl Malcolm Byers cies,” said Rear Admiral Tyrone HMCS Calgary sails under- neath the Lions Gate Pile, Commander Joint Task Bridge. Force Games (JTFG). “For our part, the Canadian Forces bring unique skills and capabilities to the 2010 security effort that complement those of our security partners.” For the navy, that boils down to maritime surveillance, coastal patrols, port security operations and diving operations. “Keeping watch over the ocean approaches to Canada and its harbours is what we do every day. We build and maintain a picture, literally and figuratively, of activity within the maritime environment,” said Captain Photo: Cpl Roderick Hopp (Navy) Gilles Couturier, Commander Maritime A navy port security unit uses rigid-hull inflatable boats during an exer- Component, JTFG. “During the Olympics, we will cise in Vancouver in preparation for the 2010 Olympics. 4 www.navy.forces.gc.ca Canadian sailor named Watch Officer of the Year By Shelley Lipke or the first time in history, a Canadian watch officer has received the Integrated Undersea F Surveillance System (IUSS) Watch Officer of the Year award at the Naval Ocean Processing Facility (NOPF), Whidbey Island, Washington.