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• NAVY – MAJOR WARSHIPS
Major Canadian warships currently include: frigates (FFHs), destroyers (DDHs), and replenishment ships
(AORs). Under the Conservative government's recently- announced Canada First plan, the latter two
types would be phased out. [1] The cuts are intended to make funds available for future Naval Projects including the Joint Support Ship (JSS) and Canadian Surface Combatant
(formerly SCSC) with a destroyer replacement component. Submarines will be operational in increments.
For more details on current Canadian warships, click on ship class names below. [The major CF naval
vessel sideviews, below, are shown approximately to scale.]
Frigate ( FFH ) Halifax Class
The most recent major warship as well as the most numerous, FFHs were designed as fast anti-submarine warfare
frigates with shipboard helicopters. These twelve 'Canadian Patrol Frigates' entered service
between 1989 and 1993.
Destroyer ( DDH ) Iroquois Class (or
'Tribal' destroyers)
Three of the original four '280' destroyers are still in service. In the early '90s, these
were modernized and reassigned to the Area Air Defence role to protect an Allied fleets from aerial threats.
(AAD equipment may be transferred to FFHs in future.)
Auxiliary Oiler & Replenishment vessel ( AOR )
Protecteur Class RAS ship
Two Protecteur class AORs remain in service (a third was retired in 199x ). These AORs will not be replaced
directly. The role is to be taken over by JSS transports.
Patrol Submarine ( SSK ) Victoria
Class
The Victoria class SSKs are the ex-Royal Navy Upholder class patrol
submarines. The four trouble-prone submarines were commissioned between December 2000 and
Oct 2004 but have yet to become fully operational in CF Maritime Command.
• NAVY – MINOR WARSHIPS
The only current class of vessel considered to be a minor Canadian warship is the Kingston class MCDV. As a
Naval Reserve ship, a Kingston is also an Auxilliary.
Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel –
Kingston Class
Kingston class MCDVs were an attempt at combining mine counter-measures, coastal patrol, and training in
a single class. Most would agree that it was a success at MCM (despite its ferrous hull), reasonable at training,
but a failure at patrol. A recent decision was made by Maritime Staff to cancel a planned MCDV 'mid-life'.
Minor support vessels serving the Canadian Navy are not commissioned into the service. Nonetheless, these are
important vessels. See: Auxiliary Vessels
Index
[1] The reports varied as to whether just one or all of the remaining Iroquois class destroyers were to be
retired. The fourth DDH, ex-HMCS Huron was stricken and disposed of as a naval / aircraft gunnery target off
the BC coast on 14 May 2007.
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