Navy DeWolf class icebreakers (Canada AOPS)

[Nilgiri]

First of 8 planned DeWolf class icebreakers (6 for RCN and 2 for CCG) has conducted sea trials:

Canadian Navy conducts sea trials with artic and offshore patrol vesse

According to pictures released by the Royal Canadian Navy, HMCS HARRY DEWOLF Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPS) of the Canadian Navy has conducted se

navyrecognition.com

According to pictures released by the Royal Canadian Navy, HMCS HARRY DEWOLF Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPS) of the Canadian Navy has conducted sea trials off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia on October 15, 2020.

A CH-148 Cyclone flies behind HMCS HARRY DEWOLF and a Multi Role Rescue Boat during Royal Canadian Navy Sea Trials off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia on October 15, 2020. (Picture source Canadian Navy)

The HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) is the lead ship of its class of offshore patrol vessels manufactured for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The class was derived from the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship project as part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy and is primarily designed for the patrol and support of Canada's Arctic regions.

The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), Harry DeWolf, was ordered in 2011 and delivered to the Government of Canada on July 31, 2020, in Halifax. The AOPS will primarily conduct presence and surveillance missions along with Canada’s maritime approaches, to know who is operating in our waters and be prepared to react to a wide variety of incidents. They will also support other government departments and agencies, such as the Canadian Coast Guard, that is focused on ensuring safe navigation of shipping in the Arctic waters.

In addition to operating in up to 120 cm of first-year sea ice, the AOPS will be able to accommodate a Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter as well as small vehicles, deployable boats, and cargo containers. She has an onboard hangar and flight deck for a naval helicopter. This will enable the RCN to have unescorted access to areas of the Arctic that were previously inaccessible.

The HMCS HARRY DEWOLF has an overall length of 103.6 m (339 ft 11 in) with a beam of 19.0 m (62 ft 4 in). The ship has a displacement of 6,615 metric tons (6,511 long tons; 7,292 short tons). She has an enclosed foredeck that protects machinery and workspaces from Arctic climates. She also has two 8.5-meter (27 ft 11 in) multi-role rescue boats capable of over 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph). She has a crew of 65 sailors and accommodation for 85 people.

The HMCS HARRY DEWOLF is powered by a diesel-electric system composed of four 3.6-megawatt (4,800 hp) generators and two diesel engines rated at 4.5 megawatts (6,000 hp) driving two shafts. Harry DeWolf is capable of 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) in open water and 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) while icebreaking in the new year ice of 1-meter (3 ft 3 in) thickness.

The HMCS HARRY DEWOLF is armed with one BAE Mk 38 25 mm (0.98 in) gun and two M2 Browning machine guns.

 

[Nilgiri]

Navy investigating unexplained breakdown on brand-new Arctic patrol vessel

The Royal Canadian Navy is investigating an unexplained breakdown on its brand-new, $400-million Arctic patrol ship.

www.ctvnews.ca

OTTAWA -- The Royal Canadian Navy is investigating an unexplained breakdown on its brand-new, $400-million Arctic patrol ship.

The problem first emerged last week as HMCS Harry DeWolf's crew were training off the coast of Halifax, 2 1/2 months after Irving Shipbuilding delivered the vessel to the Navy.

Commodore Richard Feltham, commander of Canadian Fleet Atlantic, says the ship was forced to return to port after its freshwater generator and communications systems didn't work.

It was while the ship was docked that the crew found the cooling pumps on two of the ship's four diesel generators had broken.

The problems with the freshwater generator and communications system have been resolved, according to Feltham, who said the navy is confident about the causes and solutions.

Though the cooling pumps were also fixed and the Harry DeWolf is back at sea for training, Feltham said the navy is investigating why to ensure there isn't a systemic problem.

"This pump issue that we're facing now, we will figure out if it's just an anomaly of a certain pump or something else," he said in an interview from Halifax on Thursday.

"Right now I don't know if I need to replace all the pumps or not. Perhaps it was just organic material on the pump. I don't know yet. It'd be premature to say. So we'll do an investigation."

Despite the uncertainty, Feltham expressed confidence in the Harry DeWolf, which was finally delivered to the navy at the end of July, five years after Irving started work on it and two years later than scheduled.

It is the first of six new Arctic offshore patrol ships being built for the Navy by Irving. The Halifax shipyard is building two more for the Canadian Coast Guard, for a total cost of around $5 billion.

That amount includes jetty and fuelling infrastructure, initial spare parts, technical data, crew training and a contingency fund in addition to the cost of the actual ships.

"This is the first of that class coming out of the shipyard and I think the shipyard has built us a really fantastic ship," said Feltham, noting the Harry DeWolf headed back to sea on Saturday.

"And unlike cars or planes, there are no prototypes, right. So when we make the shift for the first time, it's inevitable that we will find things that are different, or we want to work on or fix or work through."

University of Calgary shipbuilding expert Timothy Choi expressed surprise at the problems and wondered why Irving didn't uncover them during its own sea trials before delivering the ship to the navy.

Irving did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While the navy's assertion that the problem was with the seals on the pumps narrows the search for a cause, Choi said such seals have little tolerance for error. That raises concerns about a broader issue.

"The seal ensures a gap of no more than tiny fraction of a human hair between the rotating and non-rotating parts, which means incredibly minute factors can affect the seal's effectiveness," he said.

"Identifying the cause of this will be of direct application and relevance to the rest of the Harry DeWolf class."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2020.

 

[Test7]

Fresh out of the paint booth, the bridge for the future HMCS Max Bernays, RoyalCanNavy's 3rd Arctic & Offshore Patrol Ship

 

[Nilgiri]

Royal Canadian Navy Harry DeWolf OPV trials new capabilities at sea - Naval News

HMCS Harry DeWolf sailed under Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) command for the first time in early October 2020, and has since been at sea regularly, with the crew conducting training, testing and trials on the new vessel.

www.navalnews.com

RCN press release


The work is part of a normal process to incrementally test Harry DeWolf and its systems, and as sailors gain experience with this first-of-class ship, they’re also making an immediate impact on RCN business, explains the ship’s commanding officer.


“Tests and trials can be a limiting description. The ship is in naval service, and it has been since July 31, 2020,” said Commander Corey Gleason, referencing the official date Harry DeWolf was delivered to the Department of National Defence this past summer. That delivery was followed by an initial alongside work period before heading to sea.


While trials will continue over the next 12 months, they will be taking place alongside naval operations, Cdr Gleason added. During the most recent proficiency sail to Newfoundland and Labrador, for example, the ship contributed to Canada’s maritime domain awareness while also gaining proficiency with the new platform.

(More at link)

 

[Nilgiri]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/irving-shipbuilding-one-step-closer-to-completing-3rd-arctic-patrol-ship-1.5882285

 

[Isa Khan]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1408897585528590336

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The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has officially welcomed into service the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf, with the time-honoured tradition of a Commissioning ceremony.​

Martin Manaranche 28 Jun 2021

Canadian Armed Forces press release

This significant occasion represents a great achievement for the Canadian shipbuilding industry and for the RCN, with the first ship of the RCN’s future fleet delivered under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, officially entering service.

The proud naval traditions carried out in today’s ceremony included a symbolic presentation of the “keys to the ship” to the Commanding Officer, Commander Corey Gleason, the raising of the ship’s pennant and the hoisting of the ensign and jack.

The Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) will bolster the RCN’s presence in the Arctic and its ability to operate globally. Specifically designed to patrol Canada’s northernmost regions and offshore waters, this new class of ship will be at the core of an enhanced Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Arctic presence, effectively complementing the capabilities of our other current and future warships through critical reconnaissance and surveillance activities.

HMCS Harry DeWolf is named in honour of wartime Canadian naval hero Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf. This is the first time in its 111-year history that the RCN is naming a class after a prominent Canadian Navy figure. The remainder in the class will be named to honour other prominent Royal Canadian Navy heroes who served their country with the highest distinction.

“Today’s ceremony marks an historic day for the Canadian Armed Forces as we welcome the first ship of the Royal Canadian Navy’s future fleet into service. HMCS Harry DeWolf and the Arctic and Offshore Patrol ships that will follow it into service will enable the Royal Canadian Navy to maintain an enhanced presence in Canada’s North, to patrol and protect our Arctic sovereignty, and to keep Canada safe and strong at home. This enhanced presence is significant, as it also enables the RCN to continue to foster its affiliation with the communities of the North, and to engage and learn from the people of this important region. Today, with the commissioning of our first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, we are witnessing a moment in history, and I wish HMCS Harry DeWolf and its crew the very best as they prepare to embark on their first operational deployment.”

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence

“As HMCS Harry DeWolf enters into naval service, and prepares to depart on its first operation, I can’t tell you how excited the Royal Canadian Navy is about what this represents. Following completion of its contribution to Op NANOOK, Harry DeWolf will proceed this fall to transit through Canada’s fabled Northwest Passage, and carry on to circumnavigate North America while supporting operations in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Basin. HMCS Harry DeWolf is not only the first of its class, and the first RCN ship to enter service under the National Shipbuilding Strategy – it represents what the future holds for the RCN as we continue to expand our presence in the North, and grow our capability to operate across the globe; it represents the modern and capable ships that the sailors of tomorrow will be crewing; it represents the future, and that future is here.”
Rear-Admiral Chris Sutherland, Acting Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy

“For many months, the ship’s company of HMCS Harry DeWolf has been tirelessly working at sea and alongside in preparation for this historic moment. As Commanding Officer, I am incredibly proud of the work that they have achieved, and to see this official welcome into the RCN fleet, as we prepare to embark on what will be a tremendous and exciting first deployment to Canada’s arctic waters and beyond. I have been eagerly anticipating this moment, knowing that each and every sailor on board stands proud and ready to serve in this incredible ship.”
Commander Corey Gleason, Commanding Officer, HMCS Harry DeWolf

-End-

Royal Canadian Navy Commissioned Her First Arctic And Offshore Patrol Ship - Naval News

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has officially welcomed into service the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf, with the time-honoured tradition of a Commissioning ceremony.

www.navalnews.com

 

[Nilgiri]

Canada Takes Delivery of Second AOPS, HMCS Margaret Brooke

new_item_en

www.canadiandefencereview.com

Canada celebrated another milestone in the arrival of the RCN’s future fleet with the delivery of the second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the future Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Margaret Brooke. In support of Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada continues to deliver the modern, functional, and effective ships the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) needs to support operations, while also rebuilding Canada’s marine industry with the creation of hundreds of new jobs under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.

Built by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. of Halifax, Nova Scotia, this is the second of six new patrol ships being built for the RCN. Designed with a thick and robust hull, the ships will be able to operate in up to 120 cm of first-year sea ice, and will provide the Canadian Armed Forces with enhanced access and capability in the Arctic. With their considerable space to transport cargo and the capacity to embark a Cyclone helicopter, small vehicles, and deployable boats, the Harry DeWolf-class ships have the versatility to support a full range of RCN operations, while also contributing to global peace and security across the world in coordination with our allies and partners.

The future HMCS Margaret Brooke will remain docked at Jetty NJ at the CFB Halifax Dockyard while post-acceptance work and final ship preparation work are completed. A naming ceremony for the ship is expected to be held later in 2021, with a formal commissioning ceremony expected in fall 2022 as the ship officially enters into active RCN service. Construction of the following three ships in this class is ongoing, with construction of the sixth ship expected to begin in 2022.

“Today we celebrate another important milestone for the National Shipbuilding Strategy and the Royal Canadian Navy with the arrival of its second new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke. The delivery of this ship is a testament to the hard work and perseverance of Canadian shipbuilders despite the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will help to ensure our Navy is equipped with the modern ships it needs to assert Arctic sovereignty for years to come. Bravo Zulu to everyone who has helped make this delivery a success.” The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence

“The Royal Canadian Navy is thrilled to see the arrival of the second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke. I know that its Captain, Commander Nicole Robichaud, and crew have been eagerly awaiting this day, and all of the milestones to come, as their ship is brought into service and readied to add to the capabilities of our fleet at home and abroad.” Vice-Admiral Craig Baines, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy



ADDITIONAL INFO

• The AOPS are highly versatile vessels that can be used on a variety of missions at home and abroad, such as coastal surveillance, search and rescue, drug interdiction, support to international partners, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief.
• The AOPS are known as the Harry DeWolf-class, named in honour of Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf, a Canadian wartime naval hero. The lead ship, HMCS Harry DeWolf, was delivered to Canada on July 30, 2020, and was officially commissioned into RCN service on June 26, 2021.
• The second AOPS, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke, will be named in honour of the Royal Canadian Navy Nursing Sister Lieutenant-Commander Margaret, Martha Brooke, who was decorated for gallantry during the Second World War. The ship’s designation is AOPV 431.
• The badge of the future HMCS Margaret Brooke features a rearing caribou symbolizing the sinking of the ferry SS Caribou, the wartime event during which Lieutenant-Commander Brooke displayed the courage for which she was decorated. Also to be noted is the shield symbolizing a career and a life in protection of others as well as the four-leaf clover, a personal symbol she carried with her all her life.
• Following delivery to the Government of Canada, the ship will undergo final preparations and outfitting, as well as additional tests and trials to confirm final elements of the design. This will occur simultaneously with operational readiness activities and training for the future crew of HMCS Margaret Brooke.
• Work is ongoing to complete the Nanisivik Naval Facility, which will support operations of the new AOPS and other government maritime vessels. This new facility is expected to be operational in summer 2022.
• The Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy, including the Value Proposition, applies to this procurement. The ITB Policy requires companies awarded defence procurement contracts to undertake business activity in Canada equal to the value of their contracts.

 

[Nilgiri]

Canadian Navy receives 3rd Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) - Naval News

Irving Shipyard delivered the third Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) HMCS Max Bernays to the RCN on 02 Sept. 2022 in Halifax.

www.navalnews.com

Built by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. of Halifax, Nova Scotia, this is the third of six new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship being delivered to the RCN through the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), an initiative that supports Canadian industry and jobs. Designed with a thick and robust hull, the AOPS significantly enhance the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) capabilities and presence in the Arctic, better enabling the RCN to assert and uphold Arctic sovereignty.

(More at link)

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