HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337)

For other ships of the same name, see HMCS Fredericton.
HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337)
History
Canada
Name: Fredericton
Namesake: Fredericton, New Brunswick
Builder: Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd., Saint John
Laid down: 25 April 1992
Launched: 26 June 1993
Commissioned: 10 September 1994
Refit: HCM/FELEX (October 2011-January 2013)
Homeport: CFB Halifax
Motto: "Stalker of the Seas"
Nickname(s): "The Freddie"
Honours and
awards:		 Atlantic 1942–45, Arabian Sea [1]
Fate: in active service, as of 2016
Badge: Vert, a bend wavy argent charged with a like bendlet azure and overall a Bengal tiger prepared to leap.
General characteristics
Class & type: Halifax-class frigate
Displacement:
  • 3,995 tonnes (light)
  • 4,795 tonnes (operational)
  • 5,032 tonnes (deep load)
Length: 134.2 m (440 ft)
Beam: 16.5 m (54 ft)
Draught: 7.1 m (23 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range: 9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km; 10,900 mi)
Complement: 225 plus Air Det and CTG Staff Post HCM
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × CH-124 Sea King

HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337) is a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1994. Fredericton is the eighth ship in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the name.

Fredericton was laid down on 25 April 1992 at Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd., Saint John and launched on 26 June 1993. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 10 September 1994 and carries the hull classification symbol 337. On 6 October 2011, Fredericton was turned over to Irving Shipbuilding's Halifax Ship Yards, to start a mid-life upgrading and modernization. Fredericton was returned to CFB Halifax Dockyard on 24 January 2013.

She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax.

As of 15 July 2015 Fredericton has been commanded by Commander Trevor MacLean.

Service

Fredericton serves on MARLANT missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic Ocean and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone.

Fredericton has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean; specifically the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on anti-terrorism operations.

Fredericton has also participated in several NATO missions, patrolling the Atlantic Ocean as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and its successor Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1).

Fire

A fire broke out in the forward engine room of the frigate on 6 May 2009. The fire was suppressed within a few minutes and the ship made a brief stop at the home base of Halifax before being given the all-clear to return to sea.[2]

Operation Saiph

Fredericton departed Halifax, Nova Scotia on 25 October 2009 to commence her transit to the Gulf of Aden, northern Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. She integrated into SNMG1 in November 2009 and remained with SNMG1 until February 2010 conducting counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin. Following a Rest and Maintenance Period (RAMP), the vessel integrated into Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) to conduct counter-terror patrols in the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Oman. The ship sailed from Halifax with a complement of approximately 250 officers and crew, including a CH-124 Sea King helicopter and air detachment. Fredericton returned home on 4 May 2010, the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy.

Collision

On 18 November 2010, Fredericton briefly came into contact with USNS Kanawha during a replenishment-at-sea manoeuvre off the coast of Florida.[3] There were no injuries, but both ships suffered superficial damage consisting of scrapes and dents on both hulls.

Refit and modernization

Fredericton began her Frigate Equipment Life Extension (FELEX) refit in October 2011.[4] The ship's refit was complete in January 2013. She completed readiness work-ups (WUPs) in September 2014.[5]

Operation Reassurance

Following her refit, Fredericton was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea as part of Operation Reassurance on 30 December 2014.[6] The frigate joined Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) in the Black Sea in March 2015 for training exercises.[7] As part of SNMG2, Fredericton took part in Exercise "Joint Warrior", a training exercise off the coast of the United Kingdom in April 2015.[8]

Fredericton deployed to the Baltic Sea in June 2015 for training.[9] While there Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Defense Minister Jason Kenney visited the ship. While they were aboard, the frigate was tailed by two Russian ships keeping a distance of 7 nautical miles (13 km).[10][11] The frigate returned from deployment on 12 July 2015.[12] During a routine inspection in November, fissures were found in the hull requiring repairs at Halifax. Following completion of repairs, the ship relieved Winnipeg in the Mediterranean,[13] sailing on 5 January 2016.[14]

During her deployment with SNMG2 in the Mediterranean, Fredericton was charged with halting the smuggling of migrants to Europe.[15]

Command team

Commanding officers

Cdr D.J. Gallina 20 September 1993 – 20 August 1995

Cdr K.D.W. Laing 20 August 1995 – 30 May 1997

Cdr G.D. Switzer 30 May 1997 – 3 May 1999

Cdr. P.C. Avis 3 May 1999 – 15 July 2001

Cdr B. Ryan 15 July 2001 – 11 January 2002

Cdr H.T. Harsch 11 January 2002 – 29 August 2003

Cdr J.F. Newton 29 August 2003 – 30 December 2005

Cdr G. Couturier 30 December 2005 – 20 June 2007

Cdr J.R. Auchterlonie 20 June 2007 – January 2009

Cdr S.M. Waddell January 2009 – 10 June 2010

Cdr J. Zorz 10 June 2010 – 27 July 2011

Cdr A. Wamback 27 July 2011 – 12 July 2012

Cdr. J.S. Salt 12 July 2012 - 23 May 2014

Cdr. J. Murray 23 May 2014 - 13 July 2015

Cdr. T. MacLean 13 July 2015 – Present

Lineage - Fredericton

First of Name HMCS Fredericton (K245) Corvette, Revised Flower Class Commissioned 8 December 1941 Paid off 9 July 1945

Second of Name This is the current ship with the name Fredericton

References

  1. ↑ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Prime Minister of Canada. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  2. ↑ "Navy assessing damage after fire aboard frigate". CBC News. 7 May 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "HMCS Fredericton slightly damaged in accident". CBC. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  4. ↑ "Halifax-class Modernization / Frigate Life Extension". National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Bravo Zulu to crew of HMCS Fredericton". Defense Watch. Ottawa Citizen. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  6. ↑ Pugliese, David (29 December 2014). "HMCS Fredericton leaves Tuesday for Op Reassurance". Defense Watch (Ottawa Citizen). Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Pugliese, David (5 March 2015). "HMCS Fredericton now in the Black Sea". Defense Watch (Ottawa Citizen). Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Pugliese, David (12 April 2015). "HMCS Fredericton along with RCAF Auroras to take part in multinational exercise". Defence Watch (Ottawa Citizen). Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "HMCS Fredericton heading to Baltic Sea for NATO training". CBC News. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  10. ↑ Lunn, Susan (10 June 2015). "Russian ships track HMCS Fredericton carrying Stephen Harper". CBC News. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  11. ↑ Fisher, Matthew (11 June 2015). "Harper gets exactly what he wants when Russian ships trail his visit to HMCS Fredericton". National Post. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  12. ↑ Webster, Evan (12 July 2015). "Home, sweet home for HMCS Fredericton". Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  13. ↑ "HMCS Fredericton to get repairs following routine inspection". CBC News. 22 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "HMCS Fredericton en route to Mediterranean". CBC News. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "HMCS Fredericton deployed on NATO mission to stop migrant smuggling". CBC News. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Frigates - Command Teams". Royal Canadian Navy. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  17. ↑ "Frigates - Command Teams". Royal Canadian Navy. Government of Canada. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
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