HMCS Edmonton

HMCS Edmonton in 2007
History
Canada
Name: Edmonton
Namesake: Edmonton, Alberta
Builder: Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax
Laid down: 8 December 1995
Launched: 31 October 1996
Commissioned: 21 May 1997[1]
Homeport: CFB Esquimalt
Identification: MM 703
Motto: Industria ditat ("Industry enriches")
Status: in active service
Notes: Colours: gold and black[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: Kingston-class coastal defence vessel
Displacement: 970 long tons (990 t)
Length: 55.3 m (181 ft 5 in)
Beam: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draught: 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
  • 4 × Jeumont ANR-53-50 alternators, 4 × 600VAC Wärtsilä UD 23V12 diesel engines, 7.2 MW (9,700 hp)
  • 2 × Jeumont CI 560L motors, 3,000 hp (2,200 kW)
  • 2 × LIPS Z drive azimuth thrusters
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
Complement: 37
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Kelvin Hughes navigation radar (I-band)
  • Kelvin Hughes 6000 surface search radar (E-F band)
  • Global Positioning System
  • AN/SQS-511 towed side scan sonar
  • Remote-control Mine Hunting System (RMHS)
Armament:

HMCS Edmonton is a Kingston-class coastal defence vessel that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1997. Edmonton is the fourth ship of its class, all of which were built for the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project. The ship is the first vessel to use the designation HMCS Edmonton.[1] The ship is assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) and is homeported at CFB Esquimalt.

Design and description

The Kingston class was designed to fill the minesweeper, coastal patrol and reserve training needs of the Canadian Forces, replacing the Bay-class minesweepers, Porte-class gate vessels and Royal Canadian Mounted Police coastal launches in those roles.[2] In order to perform these varied duties the Kingston-class vessels are designed to carry up to three 6.1-metre (20 ft) ISO containers with power hookups on the open deck aft in order to embark mission-specific payloads.[3] The seven module types available for embarkation include four route survey, two mechanical minesweeping and one bottom inspection modules.[2]

The Kingston class displace 970 long tons (990 t) and are 55.3 metres (181 ft 5 in) long overall with a beam 11.3 metres (37 ft 1 in) and a draught of 3.4 metres (11 ft 2 in).[2] The coastal defence vessels are powered by four Jeumont ANR-53-50 alternators coupled to four Wärtsilä UD 23V12 diesel engines creating 7.2 megawatts (9,700 hp). Two LIPS Z-drive azimuth thrusters are driven by two Jeumont CI 560L motors creating 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW) and the Z drives can be rotated 360°. This gives the ships a maximum speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) and a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[4]

The Kingston class is equipped with a Kelvin Hughes navigational radar using the I band and a Kelvin Hughes 6000 surface search radar scanning the E and F bands. The vessels carry an AN/SQS-511 towed side scan sonar for minesweeping and a Remote-control Mine Hunting System (RMHS). The vessels are equipped with one Bofors 40 mm/60 calibre Mk 5C gun and two M2 machine guns.[4][lower-alpha 1] The Kingston-class coastal defence vessels have a complement of 37.[2]

Service history

Edmonton was laid down on 8 August 1995 by Halifax Shipyards Ltd. at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was launched on 31 October 1996. The ship underwent sea trials on the east coast before transferring to the west coast, accompanied by Moresby. The vessel was commissioned into the Canadian Forces on 21 May 1997 at Esquimalt, British Columbia and carries the hull number MM 703.[5]

In June-July 2002, Edmonton and sister ships Nanaimo and Saskatoon participated in the naval exercise RIMPAC 2002 off Hawaii.[5]

In February 2016 Edmonton and Saskatoon sailed from Esquimalt to join Operation Caribbe.[6] On 25 March, in conjunction with the United States Navy destroyer Lassen, Edmonton intercepted drug smugglers in international waters off the coast of Central America. After being stopped the smuggling vessel attempted to dump its cargo overboard. Edmonton, working with a United States Coast Guard detachment, recovered 27 bales of cocaine equaling 650 kilograms (1,430 lb).[7] Edmonton and Saskatoon returned to Esquimalt on 29 April 2016.[8] On 6 October, Brandon and Edmonton left Esquimalt to participate in Operation Caribbe along the Pacific coast.[9] Between 15 and 18 November, Edmonton disrupted three separate shipments of illegal narcotics. On 15 November, Edmonton recovered 40 kg (88 lb) from the ocean after a fishing vessel was intercepted by the United States Coast Guard. On 17 November, a second fishing vessel was stopped by the United States Coast Guard and Edmonton recovered 16 bales of cocaine weighing roughly 760 kg (1,680 lb) from the ocean. On 18 November, Edmonton took 15 bales of cocaine weighing roughly 710 kg (1,570 lb) from the ocean after the drug smugglers escaped.[10]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ The 60 calibre denotes the length of the gun. This means that the length of the gun barrel is 60 times the bore diameter.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 "Volume 2, Part 1: Extant Commissioned Ships - HMCS Edmonton". Official Lineages. National Defence and the Canadian Forces. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Macpherson and Barrie, p. 299
  3. ↑ Saunders (2008), p. 95
  4. 1 2 Saunders (2004), p. 92
  5. 1 2 Macpherson and Barrie, p. 300
  6. ↑ "Esquimalt-based naval vessels join Operation Caribbe". Times Colonist. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  7. ↑ Pugliese, David (8 April 2016). "More drug seizures for Her Majesty's Canadian Ships Saskatoon and Edmonton". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  8. ↑ van Straaten, Tess (29 April 2016). "Shawnigan protesters greet defence minister as HMCS Edmonton, Saskatoon come home". CHEK News. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  9. ↑ Pugliese, David (6 October 2016). "Three Royal Canadian Navy ships to take part in counter-drug operation". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  10. ↑ Pugliese, David (2 December 2016). "HMCS Edmonton involved in three drug busts – more than 2,000 kilograms of coke seized". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 3 December 2016.

Sources

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