The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) led a two-week semiannual exercise, Trident Fury 2025, off the coast of Vancouver Island in June 2025. The RCN deployed five warships in the exercise, which also saw two United States and one Mexican warship participate. ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY
The last two weeks of June 2025 saw more than 1,800 personnel from Canada, Mexico and the United States gather off Vancouver Island for the semiannual Trident Fury exercise, a demonstration of resolve to defend Pacific Ocean approaches to North America. The June 16-29 operation marked the first time that Mexico participated in a Canadian-led exercise, according to a Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Facebook post. “With participation from the Canadian Armed Forces and international partners, TF25 strengthened our collective ability to defend North America and promote maritime security,” the post stated.
The multinational training activities were conducted across southern Vancouver Island and involved five RCN vessels, Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft, Canadian Army personnel and ships from the United States Navy, Coast Guard and Mexican Navy, according to a Canadian Department of National Defence news release.
The RCN’s Maritime Forces Pacific hosted the exercise, which focused on enhancing compatibility between the nations’ naval and air assets in a range of operations, including anti-submarine warfare, uncrewed aircraft systems, gunnery and air defense, mine countermeasures, maritime interdiction, and defending against small boat attacks, the release stated. A land-based component was added this year. The 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group conducted surveillance training and sovereignty protection tasks. “Exercises like TRIDENT FURY are essential to sustaining the operational readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces and ensuring they remain agile and responsive in an evolving security environment. The successful completion of (Trident Fury) demonstrates Canada’s commitment to advancing joint capability development and strengthening defence partnerships in support of regional and global stability,” the release stated.
Participating Canadian military assets were as follows:
- Halifax-class frigates: His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Vancouver and the HMCS Regina
- Victoria-class submarine: HMCS Corner Brook
- Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and offshore patrol vessel: MMCS Max Bernays
- Kingston-class coastal defense vessels: HMCS Nanaimo
- Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft: CP-140 Aurora from 19 Wing Comox and CH-148 Cyclone helicopters from 443 Squadron
- Canadian Army: 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group
The participating international assets were:
United States:
- Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones
- S. Coast Guard cutter Terrapin
Mexico:
- Reformador-class frigate ARM Benito Juárez
The next Trident Fury exercise will be in 2027. The forces involved gained valuable experience, said the chief of RCN’s Maritime Forces Pacific. “Exercise TRIDENT FURY 2025 offers an exceptional opportunity for the Royal Canadian Navy to collaborate closely with our allies and partners, demonstrating our steadfast commitment to a secure and peaceful Pacific. Operating as part of a coordinated task group is fundamentally different from individual ship operations, and regularly practising these joint skills with our partners is essential to our success. The sailors, soldiers, and aviators involved in this exercise exhibited outstanding professionalism, dedication, and expertise, ensuring that we remain fully prepared to meet any challenge,” Rear Adm. Christopher Robinson, commander of Maritime Forces Pacific, said in the news release.