Four Navy ships leave Esquimalt for Middle and Far East

The MARPAC news release:

Over 900 sailors, soldiers, and air men and air women will bid farewell to family and friends Sunday as four ships leave Esquimalt Harbour for distant parts of the world. Her Majesty’s Canadian (HMC) ships Calgary and Protecteur are leaving for six months in the Middle East, while HMC ships Ottawa and Regina will set sail on a four-month deployment to the Far East.

“Together, these four ships demonstrate two important reasons why a maritime nation like Canada has a navy – security and diplomacy,” said Vice-Admiral Drew Robertson, Chief of the Maritime Staff. “Side-by-side with other nations and their navies, these ships will enhance maritime security and stability, ensuring global ocean highways remain open and safe.”

Over 1,000 family and friends are expected to be at HMC Dockyard for the departure ceremony. In addition to Vice-Admiral Robertson, His Worship Dave Bronconnier, Mayor of Calgary, will attend with councillors from HMCS Calgary’s namesake city to show their support.

After the ships leave the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Calgary and Protecteur will head south to the Panama Canal, joining HMCS Iroquois in the Atlantic Ocean. The three-ship task group, under the command of Commodore Bob Davidson, will then make its way to the Middle East where Commodore Davidson will lead Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) [emphasis added], a naval coalition task force typically comprised of ships from nations such as France, Germany, Pakistan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. HMC ships Ottawa and Regina, under the command of Commodore Nigel Greenwood, will sail west for the biennial Westploy deployment of naval exercises and Asia Pacific engagement activities. Before returning home, Ottawa and Regina will participate in the multi-national Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in waters off Hawaii [much more on the wide-ranging Pacific deployment here--I wonder if the Ottawa's Shanghai visit will go ahead?].

Background information can be found at

OP ALTAIR

CTF 150

Westpoly/RIMPAC

Information and imagery of ships is available at
www.navy.dnd.ca/calgary,
www.navy.dnd.ca/protecteur
www.navy.dnd.ca/iroquois
www.navy.dnd.ca/ottawa
www.navy.dnd.ca/regina

An earlier post on the deployment to Task Force 150 is here.