Canada launched its fifth Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship in August 2024. The Frèdèrick Rolette will bolster the country’s Arctic defense and security posture. IRVING SHIPBUILDING
THE WATCH STAFF
The fifth of six Artic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) was delivered four months ahead of schedule to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in August 2024, the latest milestone in a major overhaul of Canada’s fleet. The Frédérick Rolette, like the other Arctic vessels, is designed for long Arctic voyages and will help Canada defend its extensive territory in its Far North.
“The delivery of our fifth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, the future HMCS Frédérick Rolette, brings the Royal Canadian Navy one step closer to completing Canada’s AOPV fleet. These ships bring an incredible capability to the RCN, allowing us to patrol and protect Canada’s North. I would like to recognize the important work of our shipbuilders at Irving Shipbuilding, and all Canadian Shipyards who continue to build and deliver modern and capable ships to our sailors,” said Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, the RCN’s commander.
Constructed in Halifax, the 104-meter ship has a range of 6,800 kilometers and 120 days. A crew of 65 can accommodate an additional 20 embarked forces, and the ship can host a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, making it ideal for special forces operations as well as routine patrols and search and rescue missions, according to the Canadian Defence Review.
The AOPS fleet is one component of a major restructuring of the RCN to better defend and secure the Arctic, a focus of Canada’s defense plan released this year. That plan, entitled “Our North, Strong and Free,” will invest $8.1 billion over the next five years and over $73 billion over the next 20 years to ensure a ready, resilient and relevant Canadian Armed Forces. In addition to the six AOPS ships, the final of which will be ready in 2025, the government will also build 15 new River-class destroyers. Construction of the River-class destroyers began in June 2024. The three Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) ships will be the first of what will be known as River-class destroyers and will be named HMCS Fraser, Saint-Laurent and Mackenzie. The ships will increase Canada’s naval capabilities to better meet its NATO obligations and defend its vast Arctic territories. “The River-class will be Canada’s major component of maritime combat power, enabling us to continue to monitor and defend our own coastal waters, and contribute significantly to international naval operations alongside our Allies,” stated a news release from the Department of National Defence. Canada also announced it will acquire 12 under-ice submarines for Arctic defense at a cost of $44 billion. The spending is part of an effort, stated by Ottawa, to meet NATO’s goal of member nations spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defense.
The new AOPS is named in honor of Lt. Frédérick Rolette, a war hero from Quebec and namesake of the Canton of Rolette, Quebec. During the August 29, 2024, ceremony at the Halifax Shipyard, Dirk Lesko, Irving Shipbuilding’s president, Rear Adm. Josée Kurtz, Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic commander, and Cmdr. Jolene Lisi, HMCS Frédérick Rolette commanding officer, unveiled the ship’s badge, bearing the image of a heraldic sea lion holding a saber in Rolette’s honor. All six AOPS vessels will be named after Canadian military heroes.