Orca class training vessel

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	Orca-class patrol boat

Class Overview
Class Type	Patrol boat & training
Builders:	Victoria Shipyards, Esquimalt, BC
Launched	August 9, 2006
Preceding class	YAG 300
Ships in Class
Planned:	8
In service:	1
Under construction:	3
General Characteristics
Displacement	210 tons
Length	33.00 m
Beam	8.34 m
Draught	4.00 m
Propulsion	2 x Caterpillar 3516B rated 1864 kW at 1,600 rpm
Speed	20+ knots
Range	660 nm at 15 knots
Complement	4 crew, 16 trainees, 4 spare berths
Armament (when not in training configuration)	12.7mm M2 machinegun

The Orca class are new training and patrol vessels being built for the Canadian Forces Maritime Command. A $70 million CAD contract for six vessels, with an option for a further two, was awarded in early November 2004 to Victoria Shipyards.

The new ships are replacements for the aging YAG (Yard Auxiliary, General) 300 series training boats, which were built in the 1950's. As such, their primary role will be training junior regular and reserve naval officers. All the boats will be based at CFB Esquimalt in British Columbia.

Although the boats were designed with the Junior Officer Training requirement in mind, they may also provide a secondary inshore patrol capability on the West Coast. At 20 knots, these vessels will be 5 knots faster than the Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defense Vessel (MCDV), but slower than many purpose-built patrol vessels such as the 30-knot US Coast Guard Island Class cutter.

Orca, the lead ship of the class, was accepted by the Navy on November 17, 2006, in a ceremony at CFB Esquimalt.

[edit] Ships in class

Name	Launch date	Delivery date	Status
Orca (PCT 55)	Aug 9, 2006	Nov 17, 2006	In service
Raven (PCT 56)	Jan 10, 2007		Under construction
Caribou (PCT 57)			Under construction
Renard (PCT 58)			Under construction
Wolf (PCT 59)			Planned
Grizzly (PCT 60)			Planned
Cougar (PCT 61)			Planned
Moose (PCT 62)			Planned