ex. HMCS Huron sent to the bottom of the Pacific

[Pointblank]

Didn't take long to send her to the bottom. Hope the navy learned some things when she was sunk.

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Destroyer sent to bottom by friendly fire off B.C. coast
Published: Monday, May 14, 2007 | 8:51 PM ET
Canadian Press: SCOTT SUTHERLAND

VICTORIA (CP) - A Canadian warship was sunk Monday by artillery fire.

But HMCS Huron was headed for Davy Jones' locker anyway. "Huron sank today, just after 1 p.m. local time after a series of gunnery exercises," said Lt.-Cmdr. Mar MacIntyre of navy public affairs.

The Canadian navy spent more than $7 million to dispose of the 35-year-old destroyer, with about $4.4 million on just the 18-month cleanup that was needed to meet new federal environmental standards ensuring no toxic material was left aboard.

Environment Canada certified the ship was clean and issued a permit March 31 under the Environmental Protection Act .

It took nearly two days to tow the engineless, weaponless hulk to a position about 100 kilometres off the coast of Vancouver Island and then only five hours to send it two kilometres straight down to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

"Huron stood up to a wide variety of gunnery," said MacIntyre, which included artillery barrages from both Canadian and U.S. warships involved in a joint naval exercise known as Trident Fury.
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Canadian CF-18 jets fighters also "strafed Huron with 20-mm cannon shells."

He said the navy and air force, as well as allies from the United States, got some very realistic training.

Originally plans were to have the warship targeted by naval gunnery, then hit by missiles and at least one submarine-launched torpedo. But MacIntyre said most of the damage inflicted on the ship was from the artillery assaults.

"Today's missile shoots did not inflict the damage on to the ship, at all. It was, in fact, the naval gunnery that did that."

And the torpedo launch was called off.

"That proved unnecessary since Huron went to the bottom after the naval gunnery," he said.

The navy is calling the sinking of the HMCS Huron a complete success.

Exercise Trident Fury involves more than 2,000 military personnel in what the Canadian Forces calls a full spectrum of warfare training with emphasis on air defence and anti -submarine warfare events.

Participants include four Canadian Pacific Fleet warships, three United States navy vessels and a United States coast guard vessel.

Approximately 40 aircraft from the Canadian and United States air forces, the United States navy and state air national guards are also taking part.

The exercise, which has been running since May 7, ends Friday.

 

[Jeff Head]

Didn't take long to send her to the bottom. Hope the navy learned some things when she was sunk.

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The Iroquois DDGs are good vessels. There were four originally and they have served long and faithfully lives IMHO, with three still in service. With the upgrades they got, particularly the VLS, other armament modernizaton, and CC upgrades through the 90s, they remain very potent vessels. Here's a pic of the Huron before the VLS upgrade:

Here's a pick of the Algonquin , after the upgrade, which added MK-41 VLS, a 76 mm gun and Phalanx CIWS.

 

[Pointblank]

The Iroquois DDGs are good vessels. There were four originally and they have served long and faithfully lives IMHO, with three still in service. With the upgrades they got, particularly the VLS, other armament modernizaton, and CC upgrades through the 90s, they remain very potent vessels. Here's a pic of the Huron before the VLS upgrade:

[qimg]http://www.jproc.ca/cta/281phota.jpg[/qimg]​

Here's a pick of the Algonquin , after the upgrade, which added MK-41 VLS, a 76 mm gun and Phalanx CIWS.

[qimg]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/HMCS_Algonquin_%28DDG_283%292.jpg/800px-HMCS_Algonquin_%28DDG_283%292.jpg[/qimg]​

Problem is that according to the sailors that sailed on Huron, she never worked right out of TRUMP (Tribal-class Update and Modernization Program). She was the last one to get out of refit, and got all of the kit the other units rejected. Being laid up for a number of years due to defense cutbacks and continuous cannibalization for parts also didn't do much good either. The rest of the Tribal's (alternative name for the Iroquois') are long overdue for replacement, and the TRUMP upgrades were only to be an interm measure as the radars will still dated.

 

[Obi Wan Russell]

As the Tribals are overdue for replacement, how long will it be before the Canadian and British Governments do a deal to transfer the four Type 22 Batch 3 frigates? The Canadians get four modern roomy frigates designed for North Atlantic ops and The British Gov continues with it's plans to disband the RN...

I always liked the Tribals, and it's a pity they didn't build more to begin with. Apparently they grew out of an earlier design for a SAM armed frigate with no helo deck or hangar, but with the premature withdrawal of the Bonaventure the RCN had a sqn of Sea Kings going spare and not many helo capable ships. The Tribals' Genesis preceded the Bonaventure's demise but allowed the Canadians to cut back Sea King requirements, compared with if the Bonnie had remained in service.

 

[Jeff Head]

Problem is that according to the sailors that sailed on Huron, she never worked right out of TRUMP (Tribal-class Update and Modernization Program). She was the last one to get out of refit, and got all of the kit the other units rejected. Being laid up for a number of years due to defense cutbacks and continuous cannibalization for parts also didn't do much good either. The rest of the Tribal's (alternative name for the Iroquois') are long overdue for replacement, and the TRUMP upgrades were only to be an interm measure as the radars will still dated.

Well, admittedly the Huron had its problems. But I believe that the desing and capabilities are basically sound (as evidenced by their long service life), and that the three remaining vessels, by the standards of most of the world's navies are very capable to this day, even if they are getting older.

I hope the RCN replaces them with something equally capable (or more so) and more modern.

As Obi Wan said, the batch 3 Type 22s would be good, but I am still holding out for the Single Class Surface Combatant (SCSC) for the RCN. We shall see.

 

[Pointblank]

With the current Conservative government, any defense spending requests are likely to be heard. There has been a new speed in defense planning and procurement that hasn't been faster.

 

[Jeff Head]

With the current Conservative government, any defense spending requests are likely to be heard. There has been a new speed in defense planning and procurement that hasn't been faster.

I figured as much with the new administration. I hope it leads to the RCN inparticular, and the overall Canadian military, revitalizing itself...I believe it sorely needs it.

 

[Pointblank]

I figured as much with the new administration. I hope it leads to the RCN inparticular, and the overall Canadian military, revitalizing itself...I believe it sorely needs it.

The Conservatives promised the Navy as part of their election promise a couple of naval icebreakers or ice strengthened warships. The design that is the most likely to be purchased is the Norwegian Coast Guard icebreaker and patrol ship K/V Svalbard. That looks like it is going to be fullfilled with real speed. The Conservatives promised strategic lift aircraft (C-17's), and they are under construction by Boeing. The Conservatives also canned Mobile Gun System in favour of the Leopard 2 tanks and they have also canned the massively overbloated and excessively ambitious Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle (MMEV) Project.