HMCS Calgary sails south

Maritime Forces Pacific news release:

HMCS CALGARY To Depart For Central And South America

Friday, August 14, 2009

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Calgary sets sail Monday morning for a three month deployment to Central and South America. An important stop in September will be Panama, where the ship will join up with other navies for PANAMAX 2009, a joint multinational exercise which runs from Sept. 13 to 21.

PANAMAX is designed to strengthen the naval interoperability of nations that have security interests in the Panama Canal. The annual exercise is cosponsored by U.S. Southern Command and the Government of Panama. Crisis response scenarios will test the alliance’s ability to counter maritime-based threats to the Panama Canal, an invaluable international trade route. Exercise participants from 16 countries will be deployed on both sides of the Isthmus of Panama and will practice a range of joint coalition activities including command and control, surveillance and monitoring, and naval boarding operations.

The deployment will also see Calgary participating in multinational drug surveillance and interdiction operations led by U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S). With assistance from international partners including Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain and France, JIATF-S has stopped more than 200 metric tonnes of cocaine from entering North America since 2007.

With a crew of 225 and a CH-124 Sea King helicopter detachment, HMCS Calgary’s participation is a function of Canada’s ongoing interest in the region. “The deployment of HMCS Calgary is a reflection of the Government of Canada’s commitment to stability and prosperity in Central and South America,” said Commodore Ron Lloyd, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific. “Canada’s continuing involvement in exercise PANAMAX improves cooperation and interoperability between the Canadian Forces and our international partners.”

In October, HMCS Calgary will conduct diplomatic visits at a number of ports of call in Peru, Chile and Mexico before returning to Esquimalt in November.

One of twelve Halifax-Class frigates, HMCS Calgary is equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Sea Sparrow air-defence missiles, torpedoes, a 57-mm deck gun, and a 20-mm Phalanx close-in weapon system. Driven by two gas turbines and a cruise diesel engine, it has a range of 7,100 nautical miles.