Canada continues to revitalize its Arctic naval fleet

The Royal Canadian Navy’s first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, HMCS Harry DeWolf, pulls into Naval Station Norfolk in December 2021. The Royal Canadian Navy launched its fifth AOPS in December 2023. KRIS R. LINDSTROM/U.S. NAVY

THE WATCH STAFF

The Royal Canadian Navy’s latest Artic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) is in service, the fifth of six such vessels forming a central role in the country’s Arctic defense and sovereignty. Two months ahead of schedule, the 103-meter future HMCS Frédérick Rolette launched in December 2023 at the Halifax Shipyard. Final preparations and sea trials await before a handover to the Navy in September, according to the Canadian Defence Review.

In 2010, to reinvigorate ailing Canadian shipyards and upgrade aging naval and Coast Guard fleets, Ottawa unveiled the National Shipbuilding Strategy. The six AOPS vessels, which cost $3.7 billion ($4.98 billion CAD), are a vital part of that strategy. The sixth AOPS is under construction at Halifax. The first AOPS, HMCS Harry DeWolf, entered service in 2020, the first naval ship produced under the national shipbuilding plan. AOPS are designed to conduct armed seaborne surveillance in Canada’s waters, including in the Arctic. The ships will help “enforce” and “enhance our ability to assert Canadian sovereignty in its waters,” according to a Canadian government procurement website.

AOPS can transport cargo, small vehicles and deployable boats, making them a versatile addition to Canada’s fleet and a valuable addition to its Arctic defense and efforts to support global peace. They have been deployed beyond the Arctic, also deploying to the southeastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. AOPS also responded to Hurricane Fiona in Newfoundland and Labrador. But AOPS are key to Canadian defense in the Arctic. “These ships will be at the core of an enhanced Canadian Arctic presence, effectively complementing the capabilities of our other current and future warships through critical reconnaissance and surveillance operations,” Vice Adm. Art McDonald, then commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, said at a 2021 ceremony to mark the launching of the first AOPS vessel.

With 40% of its territory in the Arctic, Canada is an integral player in the defense and security of the region. Canadian military capability in the Far North also helps protect the U.S homeland.