HMCS Saskatoon (MM 709)
 Saskatoon in 2007 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Canada | |
| Name: | Saskatoon |
| Namesake: | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| Builder: | Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax |
| Laid down: | 5 September 1997 |
| Launched: | 30 March 1998 |
| Commissioned: | 5 December 1998 |
| Homeport: | CFB Esquimalt |
| Identification: | MM 709 |
| Honours and awards: | Atlantic, 1942-45.[1] |
| Status: | in active service |
| 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: | |
| 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: |
|
| Armament: | |
HMCS Saskatoon is a Kingston-class coastal defence vessel that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1998. Saskatoon is the tenth ship of her class which is the name for the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project. She is the second vessel to use the designation HMCS Saskatoon. The ship is named after the Canadian city of Saskatoon, and includes other references to the city such as naming the captains desk Cranberry Flats and a main corridor after Idylwyld Drive.[2] She 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.[3] 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.[4] The seven module types available for embarkation include four route survey, two mechanical minesweeping and one bottom inspection modules.[3]
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).[3] 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).[5]
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.[5][lower-alpha 1] The Kingston-class coastal defence vessels have a complement of 37.[3]
Construction and career
Saskatoon was laid down on 5 September 1997 by Halifax Shipyards Ltd. at Halifax, Nova Scotia and was launched on 30 March 1998. The ship transferred to the west coast in September and was commissioned into the Canadian Forces on 5 December 1998 at Esquimalt, British Columbia. The coastal defence vessel carries the hull number MM 709.[6]
In 2007, a court martial revealed that a third of the crew of the ship used illicit drugs, namely cocaine. This led to a wider investigation in the Canadian Forces into drug use.[7][8] In February 2012, Saskatoon took part in Exercise Pacific Guardian, a joint naval exercise with the United States.[9]
In February 2016 Edmonton and Saskatoon took part in Operation Caribbe.[10] On 19 March, Saskatoon intercepted a fishing boat that when discovered, jettisoned its cargo and fled. Saskatoon recovered ten bales or 360 kilograms (790 lb) of cocaine from the water.[11][12] On 25 March, a patrol aircraft spotted a boat in international waters. The boat, noticing the plane, dumped its cargo and fled. Saskatoon was dispatched to search the area but did not intercept the boat, however, the ship did recover sixteen bales of cocaine totaling 640 kilograms (1,410 lb).[13] Edmonton and Saskatoon returned to Esquimalt on 29 April 2016.[14] In June 2016, Calgary, Vancouver, Saskatoon and Yellowknife sailed from Esquimalt to participate in the RIMPAC naval exercise.[15]
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ "Volume 2, Part 1: Extant Commissioned Ships - HMCS Saskatoon". Official Lineages. National Defence and the Canadian Forces. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ↑ "HMCS SASKATOON". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. University of Regina. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- 1 2 3 4 Macpherson and Barrie, p. 299
- ↑ Saunders (2008), p. 95
- 1 2 Saunders (2004), p. 92
- ↑ Macpherson and Barrie, p. 303
- ↑ "Illicit drug use was widespread on HMCS Saskatoon, court martial told". canada.com. 13 August 2007. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ↑ "Cocaine widespread on Canadian warship, court martial told". CBC News. 13 August 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ↑ "Exercise PACIFIC GUARDIAN". BC Shipping News. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ↑ "Esquimalt-based naval vessels join Operation Caribbe". Times Colonist. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
- ↑ Kerslake, Danny (31 March 2016). "HMCS Saskatoon makes high seas drug bust". CBC News. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
- ↑ Menz, Kevin; Mireau, Julie (30 March 2016). "HMCS Saskatoon helps seize 360 kilograms of cocaine off Central American coast". CTV News. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
- ↑ Pugliese, David (8 April 2016). "More drug seizures for Her Majesty's Canadian Ships Saskatoon and Edmonton". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ↑ van Straaten, Tess (29 April 2016). "Shawnigan protesters greet defence minister as HMCS Edmonton, Saskatoon come home". CHEK News. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ↑ Petrescu, Sarah (13 June 2016). "Navy ships leave for exercise off California". Times Colonist. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
Sources
- Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910—2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004—2005 (107 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2008). Jane's Fighting Ships 2008—2009. Jane's Fighting Ships (111th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2845-9. OCLC 225431774.