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The ship’s company of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Fredericton is preparing to deploy overseas to join the Standing NATO Maritime Forces in the Mediterranean Sea as part of NATO measures to promote security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe in light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
The ship is expected to set sail in the coming weeks and will replace the HMCS Toronto, which has been part of Standing NATO Maritime Forces since August 2014.
Quick Facts:
- Operation Reassurance refers to the military activities undertaken by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to support NATO assurance measures through the provision of military capabilities for training, exercises, demonstrations and assigned NATO tasks as well as to demonstrate Canada’s steadfast support to Ukraine and commitment to promote security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Other than the Maritime Task Force, Canada’s contributions to Operation Reassurance has included an Air Task Force to augment the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission in Lithuania and a Land Task Force in Eastern and Central Europe taking part in training exercises designed to develop and enhance interoperability, readiness, joint operations capabilities and multinational responses to potential crises.
- HMCS Fredericton’s deployment in support of NATO assurance measures will provide Canada with the flexibility to execute a range of missions across a broad spectrum of operations in support of the international effort in the region, including surveillance and monitoring, regional defence and diplomatic engagement, and capacity building.
- HMCS Fredericton will be the first modernized frigate to deploy in support of Government of Canada objectives. The Halifax-class modernization/frigate life extension (HCM/FELEX) is a $4.3 billion program to upgrade and enhance the Royal Canadian Navy’s existing fleet of frigates. The program has remained on budget and is scheduled to be completed by 2018.
- The HCM/FELEX includes a new Combat Management System, new radar capability, a new electronic warfare system, upgraded communications and missiles, as well as a new Integrated Platform Management System.
- HMCS Fredericton is a Halifax-class frigate with a crew of 250 personnel of all ranks, including a CH-124 Sea King helicopter and air detachment.
