Special Correspondent Guy Toremans interviews the boss of the Royal Canadian Navy's submarine force and learns how its boats are a significant strategic maritime security asset. After a turbulent introduction into Canadian service they are now demonstrating an ability to deploy around the world.
The Victoria Class experienced a difficult time when first acquired from the Royal Navy in the late 1990s. The subsequent discovery of leaks, ship valve cracks, and even a dented hull in one boat, was but the start of a litany of problems that maligned the effort to press the ex-RN Upholder Class boats into service for Canada.
On top of that HMCS Chicoutimi suffered a fire during the delivery voyage from the UK in 2004, which killed one of the vessel's new crew, with the boat towed back to Scotland before eventually being taken across the Atlantic on a heavy-lift vessel.
But all that is now history. Since 2014 the Canadian Submarine Force has achieved stability, reaching its goal of having three of the four conventionally-powered Victoria Class available for operations with the fourth in deep maintenance.
During the recent major NATO Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW) Exercise Dynamic Manta in the Mediterranean this magazine managed to obtain the inside perspective from the top man himself, Captain Christopher Robinson, Commander Canadian Submarine Force. He explained that the operating cycle “sees at least one boat operating on or from each coast” and that in his view…
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