HMCS Chicoutimi will be operational next year: Navy commander

The Canadian Press

Canada is still months away from having battle-ready submarines on both its West and East coasts, says the navy's commander.

During an exclusive interview with The Canadian Press aboard the navy's only operational submarine — the Halifax-based HMCS Windsor — Vice-Admiral Mark Norman said British Columbia-based HMCS Chicoutimi will be operational by early next year

Norman says the welding work was done by a subcontractor that was hired by a contractor working on both Victoria-class submarines as well as some surface ships in Victoria, B.C.

He says the welds were passing inspections, but the navy did not realize at the time that the inspection process itself was flawed.

Norman says a complete audit was conducted and the subcontractor has agreed to fix the roughly 70 problem welds on HMCS Chicoutimi, but that process will take several more months.

He says HMCS Chicoutimi will be fixed first, followed by HMCS Victoria, which is currently being used for training purposes.

The welds were passing inspections, but the navy did not realize at the time that the inspection process itself was flawed, said Norman.

"In this case, we relied on a series of contracted support systems that didn't deliver what we needed from them. So we've tightened up our processes and the good thing is that we found it and we're fixing it," said Norman during an interview aboard HMCS Windsor as it sailed roughly 57 metres below sea level off the coast of Halifax.

"It's important that we learn these lessons, but it's unfortunate that we have to learn them the way we have."
Fixing sub will take months

Norman said a complete audit was conducted and the subcontractor has agreed to fix the roughly 70 problem welds on HMCS Chicoutimi, but that process will take several more months.

He said HMCS Chicoutimi will be fixed first, followed by HMCS Victoria, which is currently being used for training purposes. The navy's fourth sub — HMCS Corner Brook — is undergoing deep maintenance.

Norman said as long as the West Coast is without an operational sub, Canada is letting down its American allies.

"The submarine is an important part of not only the defence of North America, but it's also an integral part of how we work with the United States in everything from training exercises to pre-deployment mission readiness for both their navy and for our navy," said Norman.

"It's an unfortunate and disappointing gap in the capability. But we'll get it back."
Only 1 operational sub

Canada's four long-range, diesel-electric submarines were bought from the Royal Navy in 1998 for $750 million, but the transition to full Canadian Navy operations has not been smooth.

Only one of the subs is operational following years of setbacks, including a fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi in 2004 that killed Lt. Chris Saunders and sent two others to hospital during its first Canadian voyage.

'A country that has the largest maritime estate in the world ... should have a tool in its toolbox that can declare exclusive control over a piece of water at a time and place of its choosing."- Vice-Admiral Mark Norman

HMCS Corner Brook hit the ocean floor during training exercises off Victoria in June 2011 and will be out of service until at least next year.

Canada spends roughly $200 million a year on maintaining the submarines, said Norman.

But submarines are integral to Canada's navy fleet because they are the "ultimate guarantor of maritime sovereignty," said Norman.

"I would submit that a country that has the largest maritime estate in the world, and that has interests well beyond our borders and our continent, should have a tool in its toolbox that can declare exclusive control over a piece of water at a time and place of its choosing, and that's what a submarine gives you," he said.

"By operating submarines, we're required to share information about submarine locations, positions and movements, and that gives us a degree of insight into what's going on in the waters adjacent to North America, and elsewhere in the Atlantic and Pacific."
Only one of Canada’s four subs are operational following years of setbacks, including a fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi in 2004 on its first Canadian voyage that killed Lt. Chris Saunders and sent two others to hospital.

HMCS Chicoutimi (File Photo) The submarines were purchased by Canada when the United Kingdom decided to move to an all-nuclear power fleet in the late 1990s. (CP)

RCN PR campaign to shine on Victoria-class submarines during the defence review

By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch 

The defence review is underway and inevitably there will be questions about the value of the Victoria-class submarines.

As I wrote on an earlier Defence Watch post, at least once during the Conservative’s time in office, suggestions emerged that the government was looking at shutting down the fleet to save money. Will that same proposal surface this time around?

The Royal Canadian Navy had directed a healthy portion of its budget to deal with the submarines and the various issues those boats have faced over the years.

But the RCN is steadfast on the value of the subs…..and in protecting the fleet from cuts.

In a recent interview with Defence Watch, Royal Canadian Navy commander Vice Admiral Mark Norman said this: “The capability of the Victoria class is actually very robust. And we’ve had enormous success in both continental missions, and recently in the latter part of 2015, Windsor did some incredible things in support of NATO as we were dealing with some Russian activity in the North Atlantic.”

As part of its campaign to protect the subs during the defence review, the RCN recently invited journalists on board HMCS Windsor on the east coast.

The result was a blast of positive publicity….which had been accurately forecasted by navy public affairs. Not much was said about Windsor’s battery problems earlier this year or issues with welds on HMCS Chicoutimi and HMCS Victoria, which are now having to be dealt with.

Instead journalists highlighted the positive aspects of the boats and what they could do. For instance, the Toronto Star breathlessly reported: “A Canadian submarine was on the front lines as NATO allies scrambled last fall to track a “surge” of Russian subs that had deployed into the North Atlantic, the Star has learned.”

Navy public affairs officers are ecstatic at the results of their PR push.

But will this positive publicity be enough to push off the bean-counters eyeing savings from the sub fleet? The RCN hopes so.

HMCS Chicoutimi officially commissioned into the RCN

HMCS Chicoutimi at its official commissioning at CFB Esquimalt
Photo: Lookout Newspaper 

I apologize for the delay in new posts - it has been a busy start to the school year.

On September 3, 2015 at CFB Esquimalt, HMCS Chicoutimi was officially commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy.

It has been more than a decade since Canada purchased four Upholder Class (renamed Victoria Class) Submarines that had been mothballed by the Royal Navy. The submarines have been plagued with technical problems, and fires ever since - leading many to call the nearly $2 Billion purchase the biggest waste for a Navy which needs new surface vessels. In February of this year, all four of the Victoria Class Submarines were declared fully operational.

HMCS Chicoutimi, while operational had yet to be commissioned into the Navy. So, while it has been able to fly the white ensign at sea, it has not been allowed to fly it in any official ceremony; such as the Navy's Sun Set Ceremonies.

While Chicoutimi officially joined the fleet, HMCS Victoria has returned to dry dock; but according to the Ottawa Citizen which has quoted a Navy Official; it will only be for a short period of time. Regularly scheduled maintenance. The Navy is certain that Victoria will return to the water in the near future.

3 of 4 Royal Canadian Navy's Victoria Class Subs Finally fully 'Operation'

HMCS Windsor returns to port in Halifax (Dec 2006) Photo: CF Combat Camera
Cpl. Rod Doucet. 

The Royal Canadian Navy purchased four Victoria-class submarines that where deemed surplus by the British Royal Navy in 1998 - and almost immediately there were problems with them.

Canada purchased the four submarines for nearly $900 million in 1998, and has since foot the large bill to bring the Subs to operational standards, as well as general repairs following a fire on board one of them submarines.

Now three of the four are now operational and have been cleared to begin patrolling the waters around Canada. HMCS Corner Brook is still in dry dock in British Columbia and the military has no timeline of when it will be ready for service. It is entering its deep maintenance phase of its repairs.

Two of the submarines, HMCS Victoria and HMCS Chicoutimi will patrol the waters of the Pacific coast in and around British Columbia, while HMCS Windsor will operate out of Halifax.

While the operational status of three of the four submarines is great news for the RCN, the money and investment is being touted as major waste - as the submarines likely only have a decade of service left in their lifespan. There is no current plan to build or purchase new submarines in the current government Ship building plan that plans to have a new Navy built within the next two decades.