RCN Public Affairs, 11 June 2021.
HMCS Windsor is one of Canada’s two submarines based out of Halifax. It has been deployed throughout the Atlantic, in support of NATO operations, visiting countries in Europe and various ports throughout the United States, as well as operating in the Mediterranean. Currently, HMCS Windsor is working towards taking part in Exercise Cutlass Fury 21. This is a Canadian-led multinational exercise taking place this fall off the East Coast of Canada.
In preparation for the exercise, HMCS Windsor has recently spent some time in the Fred Sherwood trainer, the Victoria-class submarine team trainer, to be ready for the more complex tactical scenarios which will be presented throughout the exercise.
“Being employed on a submarine is an opportunity of a lifetime, and being a commanding officer is an experience that is truly icing on that cake,” says Commander William Matheson, Commanding Officer of HMCS Windsor. “Being able to lead my crew through training and participation in exercises like Cutlass Fury is an unparalleled opportunity. The crew is able to do the job they love and these exercises give newer submariners a first chance to gain real operational experience working together with surface ships for collective training.”
Cutlass Fury will enable the submarine and surface ships to train with, and against, each other in a simulated environment. They will face realistic tactical scenarios to test their respective defences against both surface and sub-surface threats. This requires the crew to work together to overcome these challenges, but this teamwork is one of the many factors that contributes to the camaraderie found among submariners.
