HMCS Edmonton (MM 703)
 HMCS Edmonton in 2007 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Canada
| |
| Name: | Edmonton |
| Namesake: | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Builder: | Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax |
| Laid down: | 8 December 1995 |
| Launched: | 31 October 1996 |
| Commissioned: | 21 May 1997[1] |
| Homeport: | CFB Esquimalt |
| Identification: | MM 703 |
| Motto: | Industria ditat ("Industry enriches") |
| Notes: | Colours: gold and black[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Kingston-class coastal defence vessel |
| Displacement: | 970 t |
| Length: | 55.3 m (181 ft) |
| Beam: | 11.3 m (37 ft) |
| Draught: | 3.4 m (11 ft) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 15 kn (28 km/h) |
| Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km) |
| Complement: | 31 to 47 |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: |
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HMCS Edmonton (MM 703) is a Kingston-class coastal defence vessel that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1997. Edmonton is the fourth ship of its class, all of which were built for the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project. The ship is the first vessel to use the designation HMCS Edmonton.[1] The ship is assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) and is homeported at CFB Esquimalt.
Design and construction
The Kingston-class coastal defence vessel was conceived to use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment and construction techniques in a ship designed to military specifications. The construction of the design required the building of partially outfitted steel block units, which were assembled into larger blocks and those blocks were integrated into the ship. The decks were assembled upside down with pre-outfitting of the underside of the deck prior to installation on the ship. The ship is outfitted with a degaussing system from Power Magnetics and Electronic Systems.[2]
Kingston-class vessels are designed to carry up to three 6.1-metre (20 ft) ISO containers with power hookups on the open deck aft in order to embark mission-specific payloads.[3]
Armament and sensors
Kingston-class vessels are outfitted with a Bofors 40 mm 60 mk5C rapid fire gun, and two 12.7 mm machine guns. The ships are equipped with one of three modular mine countermeasures systems: the deep sea Thales MMS mechanical minesweeping system, the route survey system or the Sutec remotely operated vehicle (ROV) mine inspection system.[2]
The navigation equipment installed in Kingston-class vessels are a Kelvin Hughes I-band navigation radar and a global positioning system. The surface search radar is the E to F-band Kelvin Hughes 6000.[2]
Propulsion
The ship is equipped with four main Wärtsilä UD 23V12 diesel engines which are coupled to four alternators (600 V AC). Two Jeumont electric motors (±740 V DC) provide power to the two LIPS Z-drive azimuth thrusters which are fitted with fixed-pitch reversing propellers. The propulsion system provides 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) maximum continuous speed. The range at the economical cruising speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) using two engines is 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) with a 20% margin in tank capacity. Mechanical minesweeping is carried out at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). The crash stop length is five ship lengths from a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[2]
Service history
Edmonton was laid down on 8 August 1995 at Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax, and was launched on 31 October 1996. The vessel was officially commissioned into the CF on 21 May 1997 and carries the pennant number 703.
In February 2016 Edmonton and Saskatoon sailed from Esquimalt to join Operation Caribbe.[4] On 25 March, in conjunction with the United States Navy destroyer Lassen, Edmonton intercepted drug smugglers in international waters off the coast of Central America. After being stopped the smuggling vessel attempted to dump its cargo overboard. Edmonton, working with a United States Coast Guard detachment, recovered 27 bales of cocaine equaling 650 kilograms (1,430 lb).[5] Edmonton and Saskatoon returned to Esquimalt on 29 April 2016.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 "Volume 2, Part 1: Extant Commissioned Ships - HMCS Edmonton". Official Lineages. National Defence and the Canadian Forces. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 "Kingston Class Coastal Defence Vessels, Canada". naval-technology.com. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ↑ Saunders, Stephen (ed.) (2008). Jane's Fighting Ships 2008–2009. Jane's Fighting Ships (111th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-7106-2845-9. OCLC 225431774.
- ↑ "Esquimalt-based naval vessels join Operation Caribbe". Times Colonist. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
- ↑ Pugliese, David (8 April 2016). "More drug seizures for Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Saskatoon and Edmonton". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ↑ van Straaten, Tess (29 April 2016). "Shawnigan protesters greet defence minister as HMCS Edmonton, Saskatoon come home". CHEK News. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
External links
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