NAC Briefing Note

38 posts

MCDV

The Navy and the Coast Guard

Canada has two sea-going services – the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). Why two? They operate different ships and, while their tasks sometimes overlap and […]

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UNCLOS

The Law of the Sea and the RCN

Most global trade is transported via the oceans, and Canada relies on the oceans to transport all its non-US trade. As well, Canada has always been a supporter of law […]

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RCN in arctic

The Arctic and Canada

Canadians often define themselves as northern people, and think of the North as an integral part of the country. That attitude may be summed up, for example, by the famous […]

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HMCS Harry DeWolf

The Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships

At the end of July 2020, the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) – HMCS Harry DeWolf – was handed over to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). This was […]

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HMCS FRE

The RCN in the Arctic?

At the onset of the Cold War, it became clear that the Arctic was of strategic significance. So, for a brief period, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) established a presence […]

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HMCS MON

Workhorses of the Navy

The Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) has 12 Halifax-class frigates, which are split between the East and West Coasts of the country. They were built in the 1990s and joined the […]

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ESSM

Missions and Capabilities of the Navy

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is versatile – and will become even more so when the ships included in the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) are complete. The fleet of submarines, […]

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RAS post

Supplying the Navy at Sea

How do navies get fuel, ammo, food and spare parts when they’re at sea? Naval forces often have agreements with allied or friendly states that allow them to visit ports […]

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RCN ops

What Assets does the Canadian Navy Have?

The Royal Canadian Navy is a blue-water navy – it travels around the world to play a number of roles to further Canadian foreign policy goals. It conducts operations, often […]

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CSC Type 26 BAE

Canada’s Next Generation of Warships

The largest part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy is the construction of the Canadian Surface Combatants (CSCs). The proposed 15 CSCs are to replace the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and the […]

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455 DLC building

Procuring Naval Ships in Canada

It is usually a long process to procure new warships for the Royal Canadian Navy. Warships are both complex and expensive, so there are legitimate concerns about efficient use of […]

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AOPS sea trials

Building Navy Ships in Canada

The National Shipbuilding (Procurement) Strategy (NSS) to build ships for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard was announced in 2010. That’s 10 years ago. So where are […]

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VIC sub

Canadian Submarines

Did you know that Canada got its first submarines more than 100 years ago, during the First World War – and the first submarines were purchased by the province of […]

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VDQ

What does the navy do?

What does a navy do during peace time? Good question. The work that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) does illustrates the classic roles of a navy – i.e., undertaking constabulary, […]

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Why CAN needs navy

Why does Canada Need a Navy?

If you don’t live near an ocean – and most Canadians don’t – you could live your whole life without ever seeing a warship. So why, you may ask yourself, […]

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Maritime Threats

Maritime Threats to Canada

What are the threats to Canada’s maritime security? And why would someone living in Toronto or Saskatoon care about them? Threats to maritime security are threats to Canada’s sovereignty and […]

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NAC BN_1

Canada as a Maritime State

The majority of Canadians live far from the oceans that surround Canada. They may be guilty of what has been referred to as ‘sea-blindness.’ But whether they know it or […]

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