Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Charlottetown returned to her home port of Halifax, Nova Scotia today after a successful six-month deployment on Operation REASSURANCE, Canada’s contribution to NATO assurance and deterrence measures aimed at promoting security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe.
HMCS Charlottetown acted as command ship for Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2) Task Unit 2. It provided leadership and coordination to a detachment of NATO ships while on operations in the Black and North seas while participating in a series of multinational training events in the North Atlantic.
Operation REASSURANCE demonstrates Canada’s commitment to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Eastern and Central Europe.
Quotes
“I would like to welcome home the crew of HMCS Charlottetown following their success on Operation REASSURANCE. The ship and crew seamlessly conducted operations with our NATO partners and allies promoting security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe. The RCN is proud to be able to act globally on behalf of Canadians and the Government of Canada.”
Vice Admiral Ron Lloyd, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
“We can all be proud of our fellow Canadians serving aboard HMCS Charlottetown and the role they played while deployed on the NATO Reassurance mission. Charlottetown patrolled with our alliance partners from northern flank waters of the Norwegian Coast to the southeastern flank off Turkey. Their professionalism and competence was evident in every patrol, exercise, port visit, and diplomatic engagement they conducted. I congratulate the ship’s company for their unity as a team and excellence in operations. I recognize, however, that success comes from sacrifice. We owe much to the support and understanding of families who will miss their loved ones over the Christmas period.”
Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic and Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic
Quick Facts
• On June 27, 2016, HMCS Charlottetown departed Halifax for the Operation REASSURANCE Joint Operations Area (JOA) in the Mediterranean Sea. HMCS Charlottetown arrived in the Mediterranean and replaced HMCS Fredericton on June 29, 2016 in order to support NATO-led maritime assurance and deterrence activities in the region as part of SNMG 2.
• SNMG 2 is a multinational, integrated maritime task group made up of vessels from various Allied countries. These vessels are available to NATO on a persistent rotational basis for exercises and other operational tasks in the NATO Maritime Command’s areas of responsibility
• HMCS Charlottetown was the fifth Royal Canadian Navy ship and third modernized Halifax-class frigate to support NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe since April 2014. These deployments underscore Canada’s commitment to our Allies and to the principle of Alliance solidarity in the face of an evolving security environment in Europe. While deployed, the ship executed a range of missions across the spectrum of operations including surveillance and monitoring, and regional defence. Canada’s engagement in this NATO mission also provides the Canadian Armed Forces with valuable opportunities to undertaking multilateral military capability building through training and exercises which further increase our interoperability as Allies
• HMCS Charlottetown patrolled with our Alliance partners from the Norwegian Coast to the Black Sea. The ship and crew supported both Government of Canada and NATO activities conducting defence diplomacy visits to a number of ports of call including Egypt, Barcelona, Spain, and Chania, Greece.
• HMCS Charlottetown is a modernized Halifax-class frigate with a crew of approximately 250 personnel, including a CH-124 Sea King helicopter air detachment and an enhanced naval boarding party.
HMCS Charlottetown completed the Halifax-class Modernization/Frigate Life Extension program in June 2014 and is equipped with a new combat management system, new radar capability, a new electronic warfare system upgrade, and upgraded communications and missiles, as well as a new integrated platform management system.
