HMCS Fredericton to sail on anti-piracy mission

That mission is now a continuing one with an operation name. From the official news release:

...Canadian warship to join coalition fleets


Credit: MCpl Blake Rodgers

HMCS Fredericton will depart shortly for a six-month mission to the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean as part of ongoing efforts to provide maritime security abroad.

The ship will be integrated into Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) and will be focused on counter-piracy. As well, during their deployment they will contribute to Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) [under US command] as part of the campaign against terrorism. The Canadian Forces maritime contribution is referred to as Operation SAIPH [emphasis added]...

The NATO maritime group is a multinational, integrated maritime force consisting of vessels from various NATO nations that train and operate together as a single team.

The Task Force is also a multinational coalition fleet conducting maritime security operations in and around the Persian Gulf, the northern Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Gulf of Aden, and parts of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Its mission is to work with coalition, regional and other partners to achieve a stable and secure maritime environment free from terrorism and related activities.

HMCS Fredericton is expected to join the mission in late November...

More from CP:

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The deployment follows two previous anti-piracy missions involving HMCS Ville de Quebec [see end of this post, more on the ship here] and HMCS Winnipeg, which recently returned from its mission.

Last spring, there were dozens of attacks on cargo ships throughout the region, but it has been quiet for a few months - a lull defence experts attribute to the arrival of the monsoon season, which made seas too rough for small boat operations.

The U.S. Navy reported last month there have been 146 attacks on merchant vessels so far this year, 28 of them successful.