HMCS Annapolis (DDH 265)


Annapolis off Pearl Harbor in 1995
Career (Canada)
Namesake: Annapolis River
Builder: Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax
Laid down: 2 September 1961
Launched: 27 April 1963
Commissioned: 19 December 1964
Decommissioned: 15 November 1996
Refit: 15 September 1986 (DELEX)
Honours and
awards:
Atlantic 1941-43
Fate: Sold to the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia in 2008.
General characteristics
Class and type: Annapolis-class destroyer
Displacement: 3,420 long tons (3,474.9 t) full load
Length: 366 ft (111.6 m)
Beam: 42 ft (12.8 m)
Draught: 23.5 ft (7.2 m)
Propulsion: 2-shaft English-Electric geared steam turbines
2 Babcock and Wilcox boilers
30,000 shp
Speed: 28 kn (51.9 km/h)
Complement: 228
Sensors and
processing systems:

Original:

  • 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-501 high frequency bottom profiler sonar
  • 1 x SQS-502 high frequency mortar control sonar
  • 1 x SQS-503 hull mounted active search sonar
  • 1 x SQS-504 VDS medium frequency active search sonar
  • 1 x UQC-1B "Gertrude" underwater telephone
  • 1 x Mk 64 GFCS fire control with SPG-48 tracker (GUNAR)


DELEX:

  • 1 x Marconi SPS-503 air search radar
  • 1 x Raytheon/Sylvania SPS-502 surface search radar
  • 1 x Sperry Mk.127E navigation radar
  • 1 x URN 25 TACAN radar
  • 1 x SQS-505(V) or SQS-510 hull mounted active search sonar
  • 1 x SQS-504 VDS medium frequency active search sonar
  • 1 x SQR-19(V) CANTASS towed array sonar
  • 1 x UQC-1B "Gertrude" underwater telephone
  • 1 x Mk 64 GFCS fire control with SPG-515 tracker
Electronic warfare
and decoys:

Original:

  • 1 x ULQ-6 jammer
  • 1 x WLR-1C radar analyzer
  • 1 x UPD-501 radar detector
  • 1 x SRD-501 HF/DF


DELEX:

  • 1 x SLQ-501 intercept (CANEWS)
  • 1 x ULQ-6 jammer
  • 1 x SRD-501 HF/DF
Armament:

Original:

  • 1 x FMC 3"/50 Mk.33 twin
  • 1 x Mk. NC 10 Limbo ASW mortar
  • 1 x Mk.4 thrower with homing torpedoes


DELEX:

  • 1 x FMC 3"/50 Mk.33 twin
  • 2 x triple Mk.32 12.75 inch torpedo tubes firing Mk.44 or Mk.46 Mod 5 torpedoes
Aircraft carried: 1 CH-124 Sea King ASW helicopter
Aviation facilities: Midships helicopter deck and hangar with Beartrap.

HMCS Annapolis (DDH 265) was an Annapolis-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy. She was the second Canadian naval unit to carry this name.

Annapolis was laid down on 2 September 1961 at Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax and launched on 27 April 1963. She was commissioned into the RCN on 19 December 1964 with pennant number 265.

Annapolis served most of her career with the RCN, first with Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and later with Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC); while serving with MARPAC she was primarily used as a training ship.

She was decommissioned from the RCN on 15 November 1996 and placed in reserve. She was paid off in 1998 and stripped of all weapons and sensors before being laid up at CFB Esquimalt.

She was sold to the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia(ARSBC) in 2008. Currently she is being prepared and cleaned by volunteers[1] to be sunk as an artificial reef off Port Graves (Long Bay) on Gambier Island in Howe Sound.[2] It was reported that she would be sunk in 2010.[3] However, as of September 1, 2011, the status of the sinking operation is still uncertain due to objections from environmentalists and local residents of Halkett Bay, where the Annapolis is slated to be sunk[4]. The environmental concerns are toxins from the sunken ship would contaminate the waters although ARSBC claims that Annapolis will be the ‘cleanest ship’ ever sunk[4]. The objections from the local resident[5], in addition to the potential damage to the waters, are the significant increases in traffic and disruptions to the residents of this secluded hamlet. Environment Canada is expected to inspect the clean-up ship and will submit their opinion to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which has the final authority on the project[6]

References

  1. ^ ARBSC,Call for Volunteers,Artifical Reef Society of Bristish Columbia, retrieved December 13, 2011
  2. ^ "HMCS Annapolis sets off on final voyage". CTV News. 2008-06-08. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080608/BC_HMCS_Annapolis_Reef_080608/20080608?hub=CTVNewsAt11. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
  3. ^ "HMCS Annapolis to become an Artificial Reef in BC. We can help!". REV It Up! Recreational Enthusiasts of Vancouver. 2009-06-21. http://www.meetup.com/REV-It-Up/calendar/10421076/. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
  4. ^ a b Kolenko, S, Sink and Swim, North Shore Outlook, September 1, 2011, retrieved December 13, 2011
  5. ^ Save Halkett Bay
  6. ^ Matas, R. Reef Society's First Attempt at Go-ahead Hit Snag, The Globe and Mail, August 6, 2011

External Links