HMCS Iroquois Retiring after 43 years

The Canadian Armed Forces - Maritime Forces Atlantic is encouraging all serving and retired members who served aboard HMCS Iroquois to RSVP to the "Paying Off" Ceremony on may 1st in Halifax, Nova Scotia



HMCS Iroquois is concluding more than four decades of Service to the Royal Canadian Navy, its achievements symbolize the excellent workmanship and special comradery of her crew over the years. HMCS Iroquois has been a valued service to all Canadians.

Her hull was laid down on January 15, 1969, and launched on November 28, 1970. The official commissioned date into the RCN was July 29, 1972. Her official decommissioned date will be set as May 1, 2015.

Between 1972 and 1992, HMCS Iroquois took ppart in more than 40 major exercises and 6 Standing Naval Force Atlantic Deployments.

In 1984 the Destroyer responded to assist the HO MING 5, a Panamanian freighter. 11 Crew were removed by Sea King helicopter, 9 additional crew were removed by Zodiac. 12 of the Iroquois' crew were awarded the Star of Courage, with another 6 receiving the Medal of Bravery.

In 1989, the Destroyer began its TRUMP refit in Sorel, Quebec. The refit would be complete by 1992.

In 1993, HMCS Iroquois deployed on Operation SHARP GUARD off the coast of the former Yugoslavia. Its duties were to blockade the coast. It would be relieved by HMCS Halifax in April 1994.

In 2000 it was deployed on exchange to Norfolk, US Navy Yard.

In  November 2001 Iroquois was deployed with HMCS Preserver and HMCS Charlottetown as part of Operation APOLLO in the Arabian Sea. Would remain deployed until April 2002.

In 2002, deployed to Bahrain and the Suez Canal.

In 2003, deployed to Combined Task Force 151 in the Persian Gulf.

February 2003, a Sea King Helicopter crashes on the deck, and is forced to return to Halifax for repairs. By March HMCS Iroquois and HMCS Fredericton deploy to the Persian Gulf.

Deployed to Gibraltar and Augusta in March 2003. Valletta and Gibraltar in July 2003.

Deployed on Operation ALTAIR STARTS in 2004.

Throughout 2006, HMCS Iroquois was deployed to various international naval squadrons, in Brest, Aarhus, Solent, Plymouth Sound, Tota, Souda Ba, Palma de Majorca.

In November 2006 responded to the USS Boone when it lost its rudder in the Mediterranean.

In 2008, was deployed to the Carribean on Operation CARIBBE. Returned to the Mediterranean Sea in May of 2008, took part in Multinational ASW Scenario. Later deployed on Combined Task Force-150 as the CTF-150 Flagship. for the remainder of 2008.

In 2009 HMCS Iroquois visits Bermuda.

In 2012 HMCS Iroquois visits Brooklyn (Fleet Week), Baltimore (Star Spangled Sailibration), and Boston (Fleet Week and Op SAIL 2012)

In 2013, she visits Canary Wharf, Le Havre, Hamburg, and Liverpool.

Her journey came to an end while visiting Boston in May of 2014, where fatigue cracks were found in the hull, and returned to Halifax, and has been out of service since.

For a Detailed paper witten by Colin Darlington, a retired Canadian Naval Officer, please see the Ottawa Citizen's Defence Watch  

HMCS Athabaskan to deploy to Op CARIBBE

DND announced today that HMCS Athabaskan left Halifax, Nova Scotia today deploy to Op CARIBBE - as part of Canada's contribution to the multinational campaign against trafficking and crime in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

This deployment marks the sixth Royal Canadian Navy Ship to deploy on Op CARIBBE in 2015, and the third from the Atlantic Fleet.

HMCS Athabaskan will also participate in the Bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans, commemorating the final battle of the War of 1812 during the week long planned celebrations in New Orleans.

HMCS Athabaskan was previously deployed on Op CARIBBE in the fall of 2014, and assisted in the seizing of 820 kg of cocaine.

HMCS Athabaskan is replacing HMCS Whitehorse and HMCS Nanaimo which returned yesterday to Esquimalt, Britich Columbia.

United for Ukraine: CAF to deploy 200 Troops to the Ukraine

Defence Minister Jason Kenney and Chief of Defence Staff General Tom Lawson announced with Prime Minister Stephen Harper that the Canadian Armed Forces and Canada is United for Ukraine; and will deploy approximately 200 troops to the Ukraine to help train local forces, who are fighting the Russian-backed separatists. Approximately 10-12 Military Police will be part of the deployment - to better train the police forces in the region as well.

The CAF members will be deployed both on a sustained and periodic basis, depending on the type of training, which will last until the end of March 2017.

Kenney said that this is yet another step in Canada's efforts to help the Ukraine maintain its territorial integrity against Russian aggression.

It was announced that Canadian troops will be as far removed from the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

The training mission will begin during the summer of 2015 - and will take place primarily at the NATO training facility in Yavoriv, in Western Ukraine, near the Polish border. Other training will take place at the Ukrainian Defence De-mining Centre  in Kamyanets-Podilsky - also located in Western Ukraine. The Polish border is Canada's exit strategy, should the unthinkable happen, and Canadian troops are required to exit the Ukraine in a hurry.

Since January 2014, Canada has been sending non-lethal aid to the Ukraine, and has continued to refuse lethal aid. The Ukrainian embassy in Canada has said Canada's training assistance is highly appreciated.

Canada in Iraq: Four CF-18's Target ISIS

An RCAF CF-18 over Iraq, Novemver, 2014. Photo: Department of National Defence. 

DND announced yesterday that on April 11, 2015, Two RCAF CF-18's bombed and ISIS fighting position near Mosul, Iraq. On the same day, Two more RACF CF-18's destroyed an ISIS vehicle based improvised explosive device. No further details were released by DND.

CAF Most likely Headed to the Ukraine

While DND has yet to release any official plans, the government has not yet announced an expansion of Op REASSURANCE, CTVNews has learned that the CAF is preparing to send Canadian Troops to the Ukraine in a non-combat role, most likely to work alongside US forces in a training role.

CTVNews' source told CTV that "The government is still working out the details, but a training mission is one of the options on the table."

The Conservative government has been hinting at an expansion of Op REASSURANCE for weeks, even stating that its budget (with Op IMPACT's) will be kept quiet for security reasons. Canada is planning this mission to keep up its strong Anti-Putin stance and to help shore up the Ukrainian government.

Canada's Op REASSURANCE is currently comprised of:

Air Task Force:

• 4 CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, with Military personnel and support staff, deployed from January to April 2015 to Eastern Europe to maintain a Canadian presence among our NATO Allies.

NATO Baltic Air Policing 

• Stationed in Siauliai, Lithuania, 4 CF-18 Honet's along with 135 personnel and support staff were deployed from September to December 2014. 
• Part of NATO's peacetime role - to preserve integrity of European Airspace from Air attacks. This is provided for nations not having full range air defence assets of their own ( Albania, Luxembourg, Iceland, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia)

Air Task Force Romania 

• Stationed in Campia Turzii, Romania from May to August 2014 - 6 CF-18 Hornet's and approximately 200 personnel and support staff. 

Maritime Task Force: 

• Task Force HMCS Fredericton - Currently Deployed 
• Task Force HMCS Toronto - Deployed from July 2014 to January 2015 
• Task Force HMCS Regina - Deployed from January 2014 to August 2014

Land Task Force: 

Officially Deployed from May to December 2014 - however CAF personnel are deployed in the region under other* operations.

• Exercise ORZEL ALERT - Western Poland - 45 CAF Members, May 5-9 2014 
• Exercise SABRE STRIKE - Baltic States - 120 CAF Members, 9-20 June 2014
• Exercise PEGASUS KORSARZ - Poland - CAF led exercise, 23-27 June 2014 
• Exercise GNIEZNO - Poland - CAF led exercise, 2-6 July 2014 
• Exercise STEADFAST JAVELIN II - Latvia - 100 CAF Members, 2-8 September 2014 
• Exercise ANAKONDA - Poland 24 September to 3 October 2014 
• Exercise COMBINED RESOLVE III - Germany - 100 CAF Members, 16 September to 12 November 2014 
• Exercise IRON SWORD - Lithuania - 10 CAF Members  13-15 October and 2-14 November 2014
• Exercise FALCON - Poland 21-26 November 2014 
• Winter Warfare Training - Lithuania - 3rd RCR 8-12 December 2014 
• *Exercise ALLIED SPIRIT I - Germany 45 CAF Members 16-28 January 2015