Dr. Ann Griffiths, 5 August 2021
On 3 August, two US Coast Guard ships, plus HMCS Goose Bay and HMCS Harry DeWolf set sail from Halifax. From 3 August to 12 September 2021, approximately 250 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel will take part in Operation (Op) Nanook 2021, which will be conducted in several communities along the Northwest Passage and the Davis Strait. Goose Bay and Harry DeWolf will conduct maritime presence patrols and reconnaissance, as well as rehearse maritime response practices and procedures alongside partners from the Canadian Coast Guard, and the US Coast Guard. This deployment marks the first time HMCS Harry DeWolf, the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, has participated in Op Nanook and marks the beginning of its four-and-a-half month circumnavigation of North America, including a transit through the Northwest Passage. Read more: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2021/08/operation-nanook-2021-activities-begin-in-canadas-arctic-region.html
3 thoughts on “Operation NANOOK 2021”
Operation Nanook is an annual CAF/International and Naval exercise. It is encouraging to see HMCS Harry DeWolfe participate in this exercise for the first time to start her first North American circumference of the continent since HMCS Labrador in the 1950s. Although this has been an exercise involving RCN ships and submarines in the past, it is interesting though (as far as I can find out) why none of our Halifax class front-line Frigates have been involved in this exercise since 2007. Surely you would think that participation in a Joint Annual International/Canadian ASW exercise involving Canadian Halifax class ASW Frigates (as well as Canadian submarines) in the North West Passage and Davis Strait would be a highlight of Operation Nanook? Please correct me if this has happened in the past.
David it took me all of 5 min to find out that Toronto deployed to this operation in 2009, Montreal in 2010, St.John’s in 2012, Montreal in 2017, Charlottetown in 2018 and Ville de Quebec in 2020. Joint ASW Serials even without submarines still go on, in fact last year they went on with elements of the US Navy. You are right that only Corner Brook participated in 2007 and you very well know the issues with these units explain their absence from this exercise.
I’m not sure if you are trying to expose a perceived weakness in the RCN submarine service not conducting joint ASW exercises in the Arctic but I’m sure you know the other important tasks these ships do and how important it is to operate jointly with our Arctic Allies.
Thanks for that Ted. I thought maybe the Halifax class had, but wasn’t sure. Do you know if they went through the NWP and Davis Strait during these operations?