The national news magazine of the Royal Canadian Navy CrowsnestVol. 10, No. 4 Fall 2016 www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca INSIDE AOPVs in the Arctic Canadian Leaders at Sea RCN’s new Code of Conduct RIMPAC 2016 New ships prepare RCN for expanded Arctic operations By Darlene Blakeley Maritime Forces Atlantic. “We take resting place of Her Majesty’s Ship note of the significant changes being Terror of the doomed Sir John he commanding officer of the felt in the environment, industry, Franklin’s Arctic expedition. Royal Canadian Navy’s commerce, tourism, society and As things continue to change at a T(RCN) first Arctic Offshore culture. It is a timely development fast pace in an increasingly Patrol Vessel (AOPV) has already that the RCN will soon take delivery accessible Arctic – whether it’s the been chosen and work has begun to of the first AOPV.” historic passage of the cruise ship ensure that everything is ready when He adds that the pending arrival of Crystal Serenity through the Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) these vessels inspires the RCN to Northwest Passage this summer, a Harry DeWolf is delivered in 2018. undertake bolder activities in all of refueling port for the navy at Lieutenant-Commander Corey Canada’s ocean areas. This past Nanisivik, Nunavut, scientific Gleason, along with a small summer, maritime coastal defence research or increased external preliminary crew, are preparing for vessel HMCS Moncton was patrolling interests in the Arctic – the RCN’s the new vessel, one of six ice- in Hudson Bay, while its sister ship role in the North is expanding rapidly capable offshore patrol ships that will HMCS Shawinigan was far west and the new AOPVs will bring new conduct sovereignty and surveillance along the Northwest Passage, responsibilities. operations in Canada’s ocean areas creating new learning experiences of interest, including in the Arctic. for sailors in the fleet. Construction of HMCS Harry “It’s truly exciting to have this role “For several years now our crews DeWolf as first commanding officer,” says have been increasingly busy The future fleet of AOPVs has been LCdr Gleason. “The first ship in its familiarizing themselves with Arctic designated the Harry DeWolf Class in class is always a lot of work and waterways and the communities that honour of Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf, there’s a long road ahead – about struggle with shifting economies, a Canadian wartime naval hero, and five years between shore office work climate and human activities,” says the first ship of the class also carries and the first operational cruise for the RAdm Newton. “We have engaged in his name. Construction of HMCS lead ship. We get the opportunity to new partnerships with government Harry DeWolf began in September pave the way for everyone else.” agencies that are keen to benefit 2015, and Irving Shipbuilding in This is essential work as the navy from the support of the RCN.” Halifax is building the AOPVs using a prepares for a busy future in For example, crew in Shawinigan progressive build approach. Over the Canada’s North, according to Rear- worked with Parks Canada during its course of time, 65 smaller units Admiral John Newton, Commander recent mission to discover the final become 21 larger blocks, which then become three mega-blocks. Updating the progress of Harry DeWolf, LCdr Gleason says the engines have now been installed, the middle section is upright and the entire ship will be soon sitting in the water. “Trials will begin in 2018 and more routine seasonal deployments will be under way commencing in 2019,” he says. “However, there is a great deal of work to do before those deploy- ments can take place.” It’s not unusual for a commanding officer to be appointed before a ship has been built. “There is no-one more invested in getting it right than the commanding officer,” LCdr Gleason Lieutenant-Commander Corey Gleason, Rear-Admiral John Newton and Captain (Navy) says. “The level of oversight, Michael Davie in Norway during staff talks. however painful it might be for those 2 ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca who have been in the project for An artist’s rendition of the new years, proves to be worth its weight Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels. as questions are asked that ensure we have thought about everything from trials, training and logistics, to something as simple as a missing isolation valve in the design.” Also assigned to the ship at this time are LCdr Scott Meagher as executive officer and Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Gerry Doucet as coxswain. Both are experienced sailors who will assist in getting things ready for 65 crew members posted to the ship by next summer. Some will be asked to stay with the ship for longer than the traditional ensure they gain the same advanced itself has a capability that lends itself postings of two to three years. level of training and support to completing multiple operations,” “They will be with me to support throughout the delivery process. explains LCdr Gleason. “Therefore individual and collective training, as LCdr Gleason has been studying we will not just be focusing on well as trials and deployment, but the Arctic closely since 2009 and has bringing this ship into the Arctic to also to carry on to be trainers for participated in staff talks between increase the RCN’s presence there, future Harry DeWolf-class sailors. senior naval leadership and Joint but in all areas the RCN is This in itself represents some Task Force North, the Canadian traditionally employed.” personnel management challenges,” Coast Guard (CCG), the Royal Harry DeWolf, measuring the length says LCdr Gleason. Danish Navy and the Royal of a Canadian football field, can carry The crew will receive platform- Norwegian Navy. He will also join a crew of up to 65 people, plus an specific training as they get to know upcoming talks with Iceland aimed at additional 22 to support an enhanced the ship, including how to operate broadening international Arctic naval boarding party, army troops, new equipment such as radars, relationships and alliance efforts. special operations forces and other sensors, heeling systems, fire Most recently he has taken an ice government departments to support suppression systems, and others. navigation course at Memorial science and research. It also carries Trades training and force generation University in St. John’s, led by an a helicopter, up to six sea containers, to operate at sea will continue to be experienced CCG retired captain. and up to seven small boats. delivered through the Naval “This will go a long way in helping the “Despite being 2,000 tonnes Personnel and Training Group, and naval training system evolve its own heavier than a Canadian patrol assessed by Commander Sea ice navigation coursing to aid the frigate, its electrical diesel engine Training Group. training of future commanding makes it a more economical choice For now, LCdr Gleason works for officers, their executive officers and for traveling long distances to a target Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic navigators. These types of external or for Caribbean operations to deliver the many elements of the academic and practical training interdicting smugglers,” says LCdr program necessary to adopt an all- opportunities will continue until Harry Gleason. new capability into the RCN. Impli- DeWolf arrives.” The sealift capability, sea-to-shore cated agencies are developing connectors, additional personnel readiness documentation, defining Multi-role ships capacity, and ability to carry mission- the ship’s capabilities, expanding Once commissioned, the ship will specific supplies and resources also operation areas, delineating crew undergo sea trials and collective make it a superior platform for members’ primary and secondary training, and then take part in Arctic- humanitarian and disaster relief tasks, and expanding training based international engagements missions. requirements for officers and crew. supporting northern operations such “If a ship can operate in the Arctic All follow-on ships in the Harry as Limpid and Nanook. Considering well into the navigable season, it can DeWolf class will have the readiness the seasonal rhythm of operations, certainly operate anywhere in the doctrine, standard operating Canada’s AOPVs can expect to be world because of its range of procedures, orders and concepts of tasked with an annual wide range capabilities,” says LCdr Gleason. use readily available to them so they of domestic and international “We’re all looking forward to seeing can read in relatively quickly. The operations, including capacity and what it will accomplish.” plan is to lead each command team, confidence building between Canada (Editor’s Note: AOPVs were officers and crew with the first and new foreign policy interests. originally designated Arctic Offshore command team at their side to “The actual platform of the ship Patrol Ships (AOPS).) www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY 3 Canadian Leaders at Sea Civilians get an unforgettable experience By Kylee Mackay pending a few nights onboard a Royal Canadian SNavy (RCN) warship is a rare opportunity for most civilians; so when 10 business and communi- LS Peter Frew Photo: ty leaders set sail for a two-night Civilian participants in the Canadian Leaders at Sea program learn the basics of firefighting transit from Halifax to St. John’s at sea, prior to donning heavy gear as part of an exercise onboard HMCS St. John’s. onboard Her Majesty’s Canadian ship, weapons and mechanical brief- the sophistication of the frigate – Ship (HMCS) St. John’s, they took ings, tours of the entire ship, and how fast it can go, how manoeu- full advantage of everything the ship hands-on participation in many exer- vrable it is,” says Nik Nanos of had to offer.