SB21 RCN divers 01

The RCN divers support Exercise Sea Breeze 2021

RCN Public Affairs, 05 July 2021.

The Royal Canada Navy (RCN) is deploying a contingent of 24 personnel to Odessa, Ukraine, to participate in Exercise SEA BREEZE 21 (SB21) as part of Operation UNIFIER, the CAF military training and capacity-building mission in Ukraine. SB21 is an annual exercise co-hosted by the United States Navy (USN) and the Ukrainian Navy (UN) with the support of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program. It focuses on the interoperability of maritime, ground, and air forces of the participating nations and improves their capabilities to execute Maritime Security Operations (MSO). SB21 will be conducted in Odessa, Ukraine from June 28 to July 10, 2021.

Exercise SEA BREEZE 21 will see more than 30 participating countries, 32 ships, 40 aircraft, approximately 5,000 troops, and 18 special ops and dive teams. Co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine, other participating countries in Exercise SEA BREEZE 21 include: Algeria, Austria, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

The RCN works with partner navies to further enhance interoperability and international cooperation to maintain regional peace and security. This deployment aims to continue fostering these relationships and partnerships with partner nations in the Black Sea. Canadian sailors and staff officers will work with a host of like-minded partners to enhance our collective skills in developing an accurate and shared picture of maritime activities in the region. These are advanced skills finely honed in the Canadian context amongst our federal maritime partners and hemispheric allies, and they are remarkably exportable to achieve higher levels of peace and security in the international setting.

The RCN is deploying a contingent of 24 personnel comprised of clearance divers from Fleet Diving Unit (FDU) Pacific and Atlantic, members from the Naval Tactical Operations Group (NTOG), and staff officer mentors to support Exercise SEA BREEZE 21.

About the RCN Clearance Divers

  • Clearance Divers originated during the Second World War providing a mine countermeasure capability to the Navy. They specialized in using explosives to clear mines or obstructions making harbours and shipping channels safe to navigate.
  • Today, Clearance Divers remain Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts in both surface and sub-surface environments with specialties in underwater demolitions, conventional and advanced Unexploded Ordnance and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal.
  • Over the years, Clearance Divers have taken on additional responsibilities and became experts in salvage, inspections, training, search and survey, hyperbaric medicine, submarine rescue, Fleet maintenance, and Dockyard support. They also provide support to Fleet Force Protection and other government agencies. Clearance Diver Teams are employed out of Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) and Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) in Victoria and Halifax, respectively.
  • The Fleet Diving Units are Navy’s only operational mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal and battle damage repair assets, and are at the forefront of diving technology. The Personnel of Fleet Diving Units are ready to respond to any situation and remain true to the unit motto: "Strength in Depth!"
SB21 RCN divers
SB21 RCN divers
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