HMCS Fraser (DDH 233)

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For other ships of the same name, see HMCS Fraser.
Career (Canada) Canadian Blue Ensign Royal Canadian Navy
Naval flag of Canada Canadian Forces Maritime Command
Namesake: Fraser River
Builder: Burrard Yarrows, Vancouver and Esquimalt
Laid down: 11 December 1951
Launched: 19 February 1953
Commissioned: 28 June 1957
Decommissioned: 5 October 1994
Reclassified: 22 October 1966 (as DDH)
Fate: Purchased by Artificial Reef Society of Nova Scotia for use as diving attraction. Currently laid up in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia for possible use as museum ship.
General characteristics
Class and type: St. Laurent class destroyer
Displacement:

As DDE: 2263 tons (normal), 2800 tons (deep load)[1]

As DDH:

2260 tons (normal), 3051 tons (deep load)[2]
Length: 371 feet (113.1 m)
Beam: 42 feet (12.8 m)
Draught:

As DDE: 13 feet (4.0 m)[3]

As DDH:14 feet (4.3 m)[4]
Propulsion: 2-shaft English-Electric geared steam turbines, 3 Babcock and Wilcox boilers 30,000 shp
Speed: 28.5 knots (52.8 km/h)[5]
Range: 4,750 nautical miles (8,797.0 km) at 14 knots (25.9 km/h)[6]
Complement:

As DDE: 249

As DDH: 213 plus 20 aircrew
Sensors and
processing systems:

As DDE:

  • 1 x SPS-12 air search radar
  • 1 x SPS-10B surface search radar
  • 1 x Sperry Mk.2 navigation radar
  • 1 x SQS-10 or -11 hull mounted active search and attack sonar
  • 1 x SQS-501 (Type 162) high frequency bottom profiling sonar
  • 1 x SQS-502 (Type 170) high frequency Limbo mortar control sonar
  • 1 x UQC-1B "Gertrude" underwater telephone
  • 1 x GUNAR (Mk.64 GFCS with 2 on-mount SPG-48 directors)

As DDH:

  • 1 x SPS-12 air search radar
  • 1 x SPS-10B surface search radar
  • 1 x Sperry Mk.2 navigation radar
  • 1 x URN 20 TACAN radar
  • 1 x SQS-10 or -11 hull mounted active search and attack sonar
  • 1 x SQS-501 (Type 162) high frequency bottom profiling sonar
  • 1 x SQS-502 (Type 170) high frequency Limbo mortar control sonar
  • 1 x SQS-504 VDS, medium frequency active search (except 233 after 1986)
  • 1 x UQC-1B "Gertrude" underwater telephone
  • 1 x GUNAR (Mk.64 GFCS with 1 on-mount SPG-48 director)
Electronic warfare
and decoys:

As DDE:

  • 1 x DAU HF/DF (high frequency direction finder)

As DDH:

  • 1 x WLR 1C radar warning
  • 1 x UPD 501 radar detection
  • 1 x SRD 501 HF/DF
Armament:

As DDE:

  • 2 x 3"/50 Mk.33 FMC twin mounts guns
  • 2 x 40mm "Boffin" single mount guns
  • 2 x Mk NC 10 Limbo ASW mortars
  • 2 x single Mk.2 "K-gun" launchers with homing torpedoes

As DDH:

  • 1 x 3"/50 Mk.33 FMC twin mount gun
  • 1 x Mk NC 10 Limbo ASW mortar
  • 2 x triple Mk.32 12.75 inch launchers firing Mk.44 or Mk.46 Mod 5 torpedoes
Aircraft carried:

As DDE:

none

As DDH:

HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) was a St. Laurent-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1957-1994.

She was commissioned into the RCN on 28 June 1957 and initially carried the pennant number DDE 233 as a destroyer escort. She underwent conversion to a destroyer helicopter escort (DDH) in the mid-1960s and was officially reclassed with pennant DDH 233 on 22 October 1966.

Fraser was selected by the Canadian Forces for the Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) program and completed this refit on 28 May 1982.

She was decommissioned from active service in the CF on 5 October 1994.

Fraser was sold to the Artificial Reef Society of Nova Scotia, who planned to sink her for use as a diving attraction off the province's South Shore. These plans are currently on hold as the vessel is docked on the Lahave River in Bridgewater for possible conversion to a museum ship, should funding become available.

[edit] References

  1. ^ These were "officially revised figures" quoted in Janes Fighting Ships 1963-64
    Conways says 2000 tons standard displacement, 2600 deep load.
    Combat Fleets of the World 1978-79 says 2390 tons displacement, 2900 full load.
  2. ^ Janes Fighting Ships 1992-93, p84.
  3. ^ Janes Fighting Ships 1963-64
  4. ^ Janes Fighting Ships 1992-93, p84.
  5. ^ Janes Fighting Ships 1963-64
  6. ^ Combat Fleets of the World 1978-79
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St Laurent-class destroyer
Assiniboine · Fraser · Margaree · Ottawa · Saguenay · Skeena · St. Laurent
List of ships of the Canadian Navy