October 28, 2022, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) officially welcomed His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) into naval service with a commissioning ceremony.
His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Margaret Brooke commissioned into service
This ceremony marks a significant achievement for both the RCN and the Canadian shipbuilding industry. The introduction of a second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) delivered under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, which sustains thousands of jobs annually in Canada, will enhance the RCN’s ability to enforce sovereignty and meet the future defence challenges in Canada’s offshore and Arctic waters.
A ship’s commissioning ceremony is both a long-standing naval tradition, and, a special event for the ship’s company – proud sailors who – have just returned from the ship’s first deployment where they assisted communities in Atlantic Canada affected by Hurricane Fiona.
The commissioning of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) included a symbolic presentation of the commissioning pennant, as well as the symbolic presentation of the «keys to the ship» to the Commanding Officer, Commander Nicole Robichaud.
Quick facts
Specifically designed to patrol Canada’s offshore and Arctic waters, the Harry DeWolf-class AOPS bolsters RCN’s presence in the Arctic and its ability to operate globally protecting Canada’s interests at home and abroad.
The AOPS also augments Canada’s presence offshore, and will be capable of conducting a wide variety of operations abroad.
This is the first time in its 111-year history that the RCN is naming a class after a prominent Canadian Navy figure, Harry DeWolf. The remainder in the class will be named to honour other prominent Royal Canadian Navy heroes who served their country with the highest distinction.
HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) is named in honour of Lieutenant-Commander Margaret Brooke, an RCN Nursing Sister decorated for gallantry during the Second World War for her actions followed the torpedoing and subsequent sinking of the Newfoundland ferry SS Caribou in 1942.
HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431), was launched in fall 2019, and delivered to the RCN in July 2021.
HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) has already been hard-at-work, deploying on Operation NANOOK in August 2022, and on Operation LENTUS in September 2022.
September 2, 2022, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada celebrated another milestone in renewing the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) fleet with the delivery of the third Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Max Bernays (AOPV-432).
HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432) returning to port after completing sea trials in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Built by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. of Halifax, Nova Scotia, this is the third of six new AOPS being delivered to the RCN through the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), an initiative that supports Canadian industry and jobs. Designed with a thick and robust hull, the AOPS significantly enhance the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) capabilities and presence in the Arctic, better enabling the RCN to assert and uphold Arctic sovereignty. With their considerable space to transport cargo and the capacity to embark a Cyclone helicopter, small vehicles, and deployable boats, the AOPS have the versatility to support a full range of CAF operations at home and contribute to global peace and security in coordination with our allies and partners.
HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432) will remain at the Her Majesty’s Canadian Dockyard Halifax while post-acceptance work and final ship preparation work are completed. In 2023, the ship will be transferred to the West Coast, with Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt as its designated homeport. Construction of the sixth AOPS began with steel cutting on August 15, 2022.
In support of Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada continues to deliver the modern, functional, and effective ships that the RCN needs to support operations, while also rebuilding Canada’s marine industry with the creation of hundreds of new jobs under Canada’s NSS.
Irving Shipbuilding Inc. has cut first steel for the future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray (AOPV 435) to officially begin production of Canada’s sixth and Final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Production of Canada’s sixth and Final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship for the Royal Canadian Navy Underway with Cutting of First Steel for the Future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray (AOPV 435)
Construction of Canada’s future combat fleet begins at Irving Shipbuilding’s Marine Fabricators facility in Dartmouth, where 32 people are involved in the computerized plasma cutting and delivery of 4,000 tonnes of steel each year in support of the AOPS program. The resulting 70,000 pieces are fabricated in a strategic sequence to meet the production schedule at Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard, the most modern and largest indoor shipbuilding facility in North America.
The steel weighs 3734 kilograms (3.7 tonnes)/8232 lbs. and will be used in a combination of locations on the ship, including the initial pieces that will begin development of the keel. Upon completion, the future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray (AOPV 435) will be 103.6 metres/340 feet in length, have a 19-metre/62-foot beam, displace 6,615 tonnes and be comprised of 440,000 parts. Each AOPS vessel has over 300 kms/186.4 miles of cable and more than 36 kms/22.4 miles of pipe.
To date, two AOPS have been delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy – HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) and HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431). The future HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV 432) is due for delivery next month. The future HMCS William Hall (AOPV 433) recently moved all Mega Blocks to land level and is undergoing final assembly in preparation for launch later this year. The future HMCS Frédérick Rolette (AOPV 434) officially laid the keel in June of this year and construction of the bow, mid-ship and stern Mega Blocks are underway.
Halifax Shipyard will also construct two AOPS variants for the Canadian Coast Guard, followed by 15 Canadian Surface Combatants for the Navy that are due to commence construction in 2024.
The Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) sixth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) is named in honour of Lieutenant (Lt) Robert Hampton Gray, a Canadian naval hero of the Second World War.
Lt Gray joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1940 and served as a pilot in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. He embarked in His Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Formidable with 1841 Squadron, joining the war in the Pacific as part of Operation Iceberg, the invasion of Okinawa, Japan, in April 1945.
Lt Gray was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for courage and determination in carrying out daring air strikes on the Japanese destroyer His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s Ship (HIJMS) Amakusa.
On August 9, 1945, he led two flights of Corsair aircraft to attack naval vessels in Onagawa Bay, Japan. He opened the attack run flying straight into concentrated anti-aircraft fire and was hit almost immediately.
With his aircraft on fire and one bomb lost, he continued the attack and released his remaining bomb on the escort vessel HIJMS Amakusa, causing the ship to capsize and sink. His aircraft then crashed into the sea and his body was never recovered.
Lt Gray was known to his fellow military members as a courageous leader with a brilliant flying spirit, who continued to inspire and motivate his crew after his unfortunate passing.
Lt Gray was the only member of the RCN to be awarded the Canadian naval Victoria Cross from the Second World War.
Over the years, Lt Gray’s courage, service and sacrifice continue to be recognized in many ways. In 1946, the Geographic Board of Canada named Gray’s Peak, a mountain in British Columbia’s Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, in honour of Lt Gray and his brother John, also killed during the war.
In 1989, a memorial was erected to him at Onagawa Bay, the only memorial dedicated to a foreign service member on Japanese soil.
On May 29, 2022, at Halifax Shipyard, shipbuilders, members of the Royal Canadian Navy, the federal and provincial governments as well as the families of two Canadian naval heroes marked another shipbuilding milestone with the official naming of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) and HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432).
Halifax Shipyard Marks Major Milestone with the Joint Naming Ceremony of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) and HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432)
Both ships are part of the fleet of six (6) Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) being delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. The Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships are large, ice-capable ships, more than 100 metres/328 feet long, and designed to conduct a variety of missions in Canada’s waters, including in the Arctic. The vessels will be capable of conducting armed sea-borne surveillance, providing government situational awareness of activities and events in these regions. They will also be able to cooperate with partners in the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments to assert and enforce Canadian sovereignty, when and where necessary.
The naming of a ship is a steeped in history and naval tradition. Dating back centuries, this ritual is believed to bring good luck and safe travel to the vessel and crew.
Allyson Brooke, the youngest niece of Margaret Brooke is the co-sponsor of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) along with Margaret Elizabeth Brooke (her older sister). This is the second AOPS and was delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy last summer.
Shannon Bernays is the granddaughter of Max Bernays and the sponsor of HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432), the third vessel that will be delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy this fall.
HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431)
AOPV 431 is named after Margaret Martha Brooke who enrolled as a Nursing Sister Dietician on March 9, 1942 at the rank of Sub-Lieutenant (SLt). She was promoted to the rank of Acting Lieutenant on July 1, 1946, then to Lieutenant (Navy) on January 1, 1948, and finally to Lieutenant-Commander on April 1, 1957. She served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1942 to 1962.
Born in 1915 in Ardath, Sask., Lieutenant-Commander (LCdr) Brooke studied as a dietician before the start of the Second World War and chose it as her occupation upon her enrollment.
On October 14, 1942 during a crossing of the Cabot Strait off the coast of Newfoundland, the ferry SS Caribou was torpedoed by the German submarine U-69. The ferry sank in five minutes. Fighting for her own survival, LCdr Brooke (who was a SLt at the time) did everything humanly possible to save the life of her colleague and friend, Nursing Sister SLt Agnes Wilkie, while both women clung to ropes on a capsized lifeboat. In spite of LCdr Brooke’s heroic efforts to hang on to her with one arm, her friend succumbed to the frigid water. For this selfless act, LCdr Brooke was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire.
Following her return to civilian life, Margaret Brooke completed her university studies in paleontology at the University of Saskatchewan, where she achieved her doctorate. She was the author of numerous research studies on the subject. Margaret Brooke passed away in Victoria on January 9, 2016 at the age of 100.
«The Brooke family is very grateful to the Royal Canadian Navy for honouring our Aunt Margaret for her heroism», explained Allyson Brooke the sponsor of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431). «She was a humble woman and did not boast about the recognition she received but I know when she was told about this great honour, she was very happy and proud. It was the perfect gift for her 100th birthday».
«The ship reflects her in many ways», Ms. Brooke explained. «She was a fighter, yet a humanitarian so, the multiple purpose capability of this ship to protect Canada when necessary but also be able to be equipped and deliver humanitarian aid when required would particularly please her».
HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432)
AOPV 432 is named after Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Max Bernays, a Canadian naval hero who served as the Coxswain of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Assiniboine during the Second World War’s Battle of the Atlantic.
Max Bernays was born in 1910 in Vancouver, British Columbia. He had served in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) in 1929 and served with Canadian National Steamships in the 1930s. Bernays was recalled by the Royal Canadian Navy at the outbreak of the Second World War. By March 1942 Bernays had achieved the rank of Acting Chief Petty Officer and was the Coxswain aboard HMCS Assiniboine, a River-class destroyer.
On August 6, 1942, during intense surface gun action against the German submarine U-210, HMCS Assiniboine manoeuvred in and out of a fog attempting to ram and sink the enemy submarine. Both vessels were firing high explosive shells at very close range, resulting in a fire that engulfed the bridge and wheelhouse of Assiniboine. Surrounded by smoke and flames while steering the ship, CPO Bernays ordered two junior sailors to get clear, leaving him alone at the helm and trapped by the blaze. Besieged by flames, he executed all the helm orders as Assiniboine maneuvered for position against the U-boat, and did the work of the two telegraphmen, dispatching over 130 telegraph orders to the engine room. Several bullets and shells penetrated the wheelhouse as the enemy concentrated their machine-gun and cannon fire on the bridge. Eventually Assiniboine rammed and sank U-210 in what was considered to be an extremely hard-fought action, during which the Canadians suffered one fatality and 13 wounded.
CPO Bernays was awarded the distinguished Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM) by the British Admiralty for his valour and dauntless devotion to duty during action. He was one of only two members of the RCN to receive the CGM during the Second World War.
«Max Bernays was a proud Canadian who cared about his crewmates and loved his country», said Shannon Bernays, the sponsor of HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432). «The Bernays family is honoured by this recognition. I wish my grandfather Max could have been here. He would have been very modest about any acknowledgement of his true bravery and service. But he would have been delighted to be amongst Navy compatriots and aboard this beautiful, world-class ship. We wish the crew good health and safe travels always».
Quotes
«Today in Halifax we officially named two new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships, HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) and HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432) – honouring two Canadian naval heroes. I would like to thank Irving Shipyard for their great work on these two ships that will serve in the Canadian Armed Forces for decades to come», said The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
«Nova Scotia is the best place in the world to build ships because shipbuilding is in our blood. Irving has carried on this legacy and will see that it continues long into the future. These ships were built by Nova Scotians for Canadians. They are an example of the quality Nova Scotians in the skilled trades can achieve», said Premier Tim Houston, Province of Nova Scotia
«The National Shipbuilding Strategy is creating jobs and economic activity across Canada, including locally in Halifax where the number of companies and workers benefitting from this program has increased substantially since 2015. As the next Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships to be added to the fleet, the official naming of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV-431) and HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV-432) is an important milestone in our work to equip the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard with the ships they need to protect Canadian interests», said Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
«It gives me great pride to think of the naval heroes these ships are being named after, and great optimism to think of the incredible capability that they are bringing to the Royal Canadian Navy, and to Canada», said Vice-Admiral Craig Baines, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
«This is a proud day for our team of over 2100 shipbuilders. These two ships are visible signs of the success of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy. To date, the combatant fleet work at Irving Shipbuilding has generated over $4.35 billion in investments across Canada. We are also proud to be the largest employer of apprentices in Atlantic Canada as we continue to grow life-changing careers for the next generation. From our team to the crews of these fine ships we wish you fair winds and following seas», said Kevin Mooney, President of Irving Shipbuilding.
The delivery of the second of six Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS), Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431), on July 15, 2021 in Halifax marks an important milestone both for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and for the ship’s crew.
RCN takes delivery of second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship
«The crew of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431) finally has a ship to call their own», said Commander Nicole Robichaud, the ship’s Commanding Officer. «The delivery would not be possible without the dedication of the crew, who have spent the better part of the last year to 18 months training and learning about this ship».
The delivery of HMCS Margaret Brooke, hull number 431, is a highly anticipated event, said Commander Robichaud of the ship, which is being built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy by Irving Shipbuilding.
«Not only is a new ship entering into service with the RCN, but a new capability is also being introduced and Margaret Brooke will directly contribute to achieving global Canadian objectives».
Training in preparation for delivery has involved the ship’s company in both computer-based learning and a practical training program at various shore-based facilities, as well as on board HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430), the first AOPS and the ship after which the entire class is named, said Lieutenant-Commander (Lieutenant Commander) Dusty Allen, Margaret Brooke’s Executive Officer.
«While this training ensures we are well-postured to receive the ship, nothing can replace the pride and ownership of having a unit to call your own», he said, commending the «incredible work ethic, enthusiasm and pride» the ship’s crew have shown.
The journey to delivery day was challenging at times, particularly with regard to COVID-19 pandemic.
«COVID has had an impact on everyone, everywhere», said Commander Robichaud. «It has affected everything from materiel, parts, labour and timelines, to training, morale, personnel requirements and taskings».
Irving Shipbuilding, the Canadian shipbuilder and prime contractor for the AOPS program, put the ship through its builder trials in mid-May. Now, with the delivery of HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431), the ship is «one step closer to becoming part of the fleet», said Commander Nicole Robichaud.
«We are quite fortunate to have had HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) complete its post-acceptance period so that we can learn from and improve on practices that are unique to being a new class of ship», said Commander Robichaud. « HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) has done a great job at blazing the path so that we are not learning everything from scratch».
The first of the six AOPS, HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430), was delivered in July 2020 and officially commissioned into the RCN June 2021. The third AOPS, HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV 432), will be launched later in 2021.
A commissioning ceremony for HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431) is planned for October 2022, tying in with the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Caribou, the steamship passenger ferry that linked Newfoundland to Nova Scotia before it was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine on October 14, 1942. The ferry sunk in five minutes.
Nursing Sister Lieutenant Commander Margaret Brooke (then a sub-lieutenant), who was on the Caribou, received a Member (Military Division) of the Order of the British Empire for her efforts to save her friend, Nursing Sister Sub-Lieutenant Agnes Wilkie. Both women clung to ropes on a capsized lifeboat. In spite of Lieutenant Commander Brooke’s heroic efforts to hang on to Sub-Lieutenant Wilkie with one arm, her friend succumbed to the frigid water.
After the sinking, Lieutenant Commander Brooke became the first Canadian woman to receive the award.
Remaining a member of the Navy until 1962 when she retired as a lieutenant-commander, Margaret Brooke was 100 years old before she died on January 9, 2016. On her 100th birthday, April 10, 2015, then-Minister of National Defence Jason Kenney called her to tell her that the second AOPS would bear her name, marking another couple of «firsts» for the former Nursing Sister – the first woman to have a Canadian warship named for her and the first time such a ship was named for a living person.
HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431) has a busy sailing schedule ahead, and will now officially be Commander Robichaud’s command at sea. Following the forthcoming post-delivery work period and naming ceremony, HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431) and its crew will complete a series of trials, all leading to its commissioning in 2022.
«We will be sailing for the next year, conducting post-acceptance trials, testing and trialing all aspects of the machinery and equipment, with a plan to participate in Operation Nanook in the fall of 2022», she said.
The AOPS will primarily conduct presence and surveillance missions along Canada’s maritime approaches, to know who is operating in our waters and be prepared to react to a wide variety of incidents. They will also support other government departments and agencies, such as the Canadian Coast Guard, that are focused on ensuring safe navigation of shipping in arctic waters.
These contemporary and multifunctional ships will be at the core of an enhanced Canadian Arctic presence, and will effectively and strategically complement the capabilities of our current and future warships through critical reconnaissance and surveillance operations.
They will also be capable of participating in a wide variety of international operations such as anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, and international security and stability. These ships will be able to contribute to humanitarian assistance, emergency response and disaster relief domestically and internationally, and undertake a diverse range of missions worldwide.
In a commissioning ceremony held in Halifax on June 26, 2021, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) welcomed into service the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430), while thousands of Canadians and RCN team members watched virtually.
RCN commissions HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430)
This occasion represented a significant achievement for the Canadian shipbuilding industry and for the RCN as the first ship of the Navy’s future fleet, delivered under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, officially entered service.
«As HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) enters into naval service and prepares to depart on its first operation, I can’t tell you how excited the Royal Canadian Navy is about what this represents», said Rear-Admiral (RAdm) Chris Sutherland, Acting Commander of the RCN.
The Harry DeWolf-class AOPS will bolster the RCN’s presence in the Arctic and its ability to operate globally. Specifically designed to patrol Canada’s northernmost regions and offshore waters, this new class of ship will be at the core of an enhanced Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Arctic presence, effectively complementing the capabilities of our other current and future warships through critical reconnaissance and surveillance activities.
In fact, the ship will depart Halifax in August for the North to participate in Operation Nanook, Canada’s signature, annual Arctic operation designed to exercise the defence of Canada and to secure our northern regions.
Following completion of its contribution to Op Nanook, HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) will proceed this fall to transit through Canada’s fabled Northwest Passage, and then carry on to circumnavigate North America while supporting operations in the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Basin.
«HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) is not only the first of its class, and the first RCN ship to enter service under the National Shipbuilding Strategy – it represents what the future holds for the RCN as we continue to expand our presence in the North, and grow our capability to operate across the globe; it represents the modern and capable ships that the sailors of tomorrow will be crewing; it represents the future, and that future is here», RAdm Sutherland said.
Strong ties with northern communities will be a hallmark of all six Harry DeWolf-class ships, as each one of them will be affiliated with regions of the Inuit Nunangat. The first affiliation between HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) and the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut was formalized in May 2019. Affiliation between an HMC Ship, its sailors and civilian communities is a long-standing and honoured naval tradition, with relationships lasting throughout the service-life of the ship.
For the ship’s company, the commissioning is the pinnacle of a lot of hard work. The proud naval traditions carried out in Saturday’s ceremony included a symbolic presentation of the «keys to the ship» to the Commanding Officer, Commander Corey Gleason, the raising of the ship’s pennant and the hoisting of the ensign and jack.
«For many months, the ship’s company has been tirelessly working at sea and alongside in preparation for this historic moment», said Commander Gleason. «I am incredibly proud of the work that they have achieved, and to see this official welcome into the RCN fleet, as we prepare to embark on what will be a tremendous and exciting first deployment to Canada’s arctic waters and beyond. I have been eagerly anticipating this moment, knowing that each and every sailor on board stands proud and ready to serve in this incredible ship».
HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) – the first new ship commissioned into the RCN in more than 20 years – is named in honour of wartime Canadian naval hero Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf. This is the first time in its 111-year history that the RCN is naming a class after a prominent Canadian Navy figure. The five additional ships in the class will be named to honour other prominent Royal Canadian Navy heroes who served their country with the highest distinction.
The six Harry DeWolf-class ships are HMC Ships Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430), Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431), Max Bernays (AOPV 432), William Hall (AOPV 433), Frédérick Rolette (AOPV 434) and Robert Hampton Gray (AOPV 435).
The Royal Canadian Navy’s second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the future HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431), was launched today, November 10, 2019, at Halifax Shipyard.
The Royal Canadian Navy’s second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431), on the barge from which she was floated in Halifax Harbour for the first time (Irving photo)
The launch of the second of six AOPS for the Royal Canadian Navy, marks a significant milestone for Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and the revitalization of the Royal Canadian Navy’s combatant fleet.
The 103-metre/338-foot future HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431) transitioned from Halifax Shipyard’s land level facility to a submersible barge on November 8, 2019 and launched in the Bedford Basin on November 10, 2019.
The ship is now pier side at Halifax Shipyard where work continues to prepare the ship for sea trials and handover to the Royal Canadian Navy late next year.
The future HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431) joins Canada’s lead AOPS, the future HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430), pier side at Halifax Shipyard. The future HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) is in the final stages of construction and is preparing for initial builder sea trials at the end of November.
Inside Halifax Shipyard’s facilities, the Royal Canadian Navy’s third and fourth AOPS, the future HMCS Max Bernay (AOPV 432) and the future HMCS William Hall (AOPV 433), are under construction. The first two major sections of the future HMCS Max Bernay (AOPV 432) are scheduled to be moved outside in spring 2020.
Canada’s NSS was created to replace the current surface fleets of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard. Over the next few decades, Halifax Shipyard will build six AOPS for the Royal Canadian Navy, two AOPS for the Canadian Coast Guard, and 15 Canadian Surface Combatants for the Royal Canadian Navy.
As a result of the NSS, Irving Shipbuilding has become one of Atlantic Canada’s largest regional employers, with thousands of Canadians now working in skilled, well-paying jobs. Halifax Shipyard, long at the centre of Canadian shipbuilding, is now home to the most modern, innovative shipbuilding facilities, equipment, and processes in North America.
Halifax Shipyard is also continuing its legacy as the Halifax-class In-Service Support Centre of Excellence, with HMCS Charlottetown (FFH 339) currently in the graving dock for an extensive docking work period.
«Congratulations to our more than 2,000 shipbuilders on today’s successful launch of the future HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431). It is exciting to have two Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships in the water and closer to being in use by the Royal Canadian Navy’s sailors», Kevin McCoy, President, Irving Shipbuilding.
Halifax Shipyard launches Canada’s second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) marked the traditional keel-laying ceremony for the second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMCS Margaret Brooke, at Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard on May 29, 2017.
Keel-laying ceremony for HMCS Margaret Brooke marks a shipbuilding milestone
A keel-laying ceremony is one of the most significant dates in a ship’s construction. This ceremony was marked by the placing of a coin onto the keel of the ship by Olivia Strowbridge, the first woman in a trade supervisory role at Halifax Shipyard, and its first female certified ship spray painter. In shipbuilding tradition, this coin will remain embedded within the ship’s structure for its entire life, and will invite good luck for all who sail in it. Once the coin was placed, Ms. Strowbridge declared that the keel is now «well and truly laid».
The ceremony was also attended by Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic; Mr. Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding; and Commander Michele Tessier, the future Commanding Officer of HMCS Margaret Brooke, among others.
The coin placed on this ship depicts a four-leaf clover; a symbol with special significance to LCdr Brooke, who carried two four-leaf clovers in a silver locket as a good luck charm following her survival of the sinking of the ferry SS Caribou in 1942.
The Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels will increase Canada’s capability in the Arctic and along its other two coasts. They will deliver armed, seaborne surveillance and increase Canada’s awareness of activities in these regions.
Quick Facts
In traditional ship construction, the keel typically extends the entire length of the vessel, running along the bottom of the ship and serving as its «backbone». Today, many ships, including the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels, are instead constructed in modules or blocks, fabricated separately then brought together to form the superstructure of the ship. However, the keel-laying tradition has endured.
Construction continues on HMCS Margaret Brooke at Halifax Shipyard. The ship is expected to be officially launched in a Naming/Launching ceremony in 2019.
HMCS Margaret Brooke is named after LCdr Margaret M. Brooke, an RCN Nursing Sister in the Second World War who was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her selfless act of bravery in attempting to save the life of a colleague after the ferry they were travelling on, the SS Caribou, was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1942.
When the name of HMCS Margaret Brooke was announced in April 2015, it was the first RCN ship ever to be named after a living Canadian woman. LCdr Brooke passed away the following year at the age of 100.
During her work in Sydney, Nova Scotia, at a naval hospital, a patient gave then-Sub-Lieutenant Margaret Brooke two four-leaf clovers. She had them with her when the SS Caribou was torpedoed and sunk on the night of October 14, 1942. She often said that she felt they were her good luck charm.
The niece of LCdr Margaret Brooke, Ms. Margaret Elizabeth Brooke, is the sponsor of the ship that will bear her aunt’s name.
The Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels will be large, ice-capable ships, more than 328 feet/100 meters long, and designed for a variety of missions in Canadian waters and abroad. Commander Michele Tessier has been appointed as the first Commanding Officer of HMCS Margaret Brooke.
Hundreds of employees gathered in the new Assembly Hall at the Halifax Shipyard to celebrate the start of production of the first Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) for Canada. Delivery of the first HMCS Harry DeWolf-class ship is expected in 2018.
Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding and hundreds of employees at the Halifax Shipyard mark the start of production of the first Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship on September 1
«Today is a milestone we have all been anticipating. It is a great day to be a shipbuilder in Nova Scotia as we mark the beginning of this generational opportunity», said Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding. «We’re doing this with the best team and the largest and most modern shipbuilding facility in North America. Our focus is on delivering the best value to Canada with a growing supply chain from coast to coast to coast».
Production has begun on two units for the center section of the first Arctic Offshore Patrol ship. Welders, pipefitters, marine fabricators and ironworkers are among the trades involved in the process, using the new state-of-the-art panel line.
The ship is the first of up to 21 vessels that will renew Canada’s combatant fleet over the next 30 years under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy. Irving Shipbuilding has built more than 80% of Canada’s current combatant ships.
All of the employees on the recall list have been contacted. Current direct employment at Marine Fabricators in Dartmouth (where steel is cut) and the Halifax Shipyard is about 900 direct employees (staff and hourly). Over the next two years, the workforce at both sites is expected to rise to 1,600 direct employees with over 1,000 directly employed on AOPS production. In addition, total employment at Irving Shipbuilding (all operations) is forecasted to rise to over 2,500 direct employees at peak production of the larger Canadian Surface Combatant vessels that will replace Canada’s current fleet of Halifax Class frigates.
To date, the modernization at Irving Shipbuilding and the AOPS contract have resulted in over $1 Billion in spending commitments:
Over $850 Million committed within Canada (84% of contracts awarded);
Over $300 Million committed spend to companies in Nova Scotia;
Over 2,000 suppliers now registered with Irving Shipbuilding.
These spend will generate:
Over 8,700 Direct and Indirect jobs in Canada (3,400 in Nova Scotia);
Over $550 Million in Direct and Indirect Employment Income;
An Estimated $400 Million in Consumer Spending.
Halifax Shipyard worker cuts components for the first AOPS ship using state-of-the-art plasma cutter
Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships
The Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) project will deliver six ice-capable ships, designated as the Harry DeWolf Class, after Canadian wartime naval hero Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf.
The AOPS will be capable of:
armed sea-borne surveillance of Canada’s waters, including the Arctic;
providing government situational awareness of activities and events in these regions;
cooperating with other partners in the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments to assert and enforce Canadian sovereignty, when and where necessary.
Construction of the first AOPS will begin in September 2015, with HMCS Harry DeWolf scheduled for delivery in 2018.
The announced names of the Harry DeWolf-class ships to date are:
HMCS Harry DeWolf
HMCS Margaret Brooke
HMCS Max Bernays
HMCS William Hall
HMCS Frédérick Rolette
Centre section component of first AOPS ship underway at Halifax Shipyard
Specifications
Displacement
6,440 tonnes
Length
338 feet/103 m
Beam
62.3 feet/19 m
Maximum speed
17 knots/19.5 mph/31 km/h
Cruising speed
14 knots/16 mph/26 km/h
Range at Cruising speed
6,800 NM/7,825 miles/12,593.6 km
Complement
65
International ice classification standard
Polar Class 5
Be able to sustain operations
up to 4 months
Remain operational
25 years beyond Initial Operational Capability (IOC)
Harry DeWolf-Class Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship
Features
Integrated Bridge Navigation System
Modern integrated bridge, from which control of navigation, machinery, and damage control systems can be performed.
Multi-Purpose Operational Space
Where operational planning and mission execution will be coordinated.
BAE Mk-38 Gun
Remote controlled 25-mm gun to support domestic constabulary role.
Enclosed Focsle/Cable Deck
Protects foredeck machinery and workspace from harsh Arctic environment.
Helicopter Capability
Depending on the mission, the embarked helicopter could range from a small utility aircraft right up to the new CH-148 maritime helicopter.
Cargo/Payloads
Multiple payload options such as shipping containers, underwater survey equipment, or a landing craft. Ship has a 20-tonne crane to self-load/unload.
Vehicle Bay
For rapid mobility over land or ice, the ship can carry vehicles such as pickup trucks, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), and snowmobiles.
Diesel/Electric Propulsion
Propulsion: Two 4.5 MW main propulsion engines, four 3.6 MW generators.
Retractable Active Fin Stabilizers
Deployed to reduce ship roll for open ocean operations, retracted for operations in ice.
Multi-Role Rescue Boats
Top speed of 35+ knots/40+ mph/65+ km/h, 28 feet/8.5 meters long. Will support rescues, personnel transfers, or boarding operations.
Bow Thrusters
To enable maneuvering or berthing without tug assistance.
Artist’s impression of the Harry DeWolf-Class Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship
The Honorable Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defence, announced on July 16, in Québec City, that an Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) will be named in honor of Lieutenant Frédérick Rolette, a Canadian-born officer and naval hero of various actions, ashore and afloat, during the War of 1812, including command of the ship General Hunter. A parallel announcement was made in Windsor, Ontario, by Jeff Watson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Essex, close to the sites of many of Lieutenant Rolette’s heroic actions.
Artist’s impression of the Harry DeWolf-Class Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship
Just before the outbreak of the War of 1812, Frédérick Rolette was posted to Amherstburg, Ontario, as a Lieutenant in charge of the brig General Hunter. When word of the outbreak of war reached Amherstburg on July 3, 1812, Rolette acted immediately, capturing an American vessel, the Cuyahoga, before the crew became aware that their country had declared war on Britain. This was the first action of the War of 1812 and a significant prize, because onboard the Cuyahoga were American commander General William Hull’s papers and dispatches, providing the British with a great deal of intelligence on American strengths and deployment.
Quick Facts
Lieutenant Rolette was very active in the war, conducting several daring captures of American supply vessels and participating in land battles at the Capture of Detroit, the Battle of Frenchtown, and the skirmish at the Canard River. He was the First Lieutenant (second in command) of the British schooner Lady Prevost at the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. When the captain was mortally wounded, he assumed command and fought the ship «with great skill and gallantry» until he himself was severely wounded, burned by an explosion and the ship was a broken unmanageable and sinking wreck.
Construction of the first AOPS will begin in September 2015, with HMCS Harry DeWolf scheduled for delivery in 2018
When the war ended, Lieutenant Rolette returned home to Québec City to a hero’s welcome and was presented with a fifty-guinea sword of honor by its citizens in recognition of his service. Through the research and efforts of the Naval Museum of Québec, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was able to locate the whereabouts and current owner of this sword of honor in order to have it displayed to the public as part of the naming announcement.
In September 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the forthcoming AOPS will be named to honor prominent Canadians who served with the highest distinction and conspicuous gallantry in the Navy. The lead ship was named HMCS Harry DeWolf and the class is known as the Harry DeWolf-Class. Other announced ships’ names in the class include HMCS Margaret Brooke, HMCS Max Bernays, HMCS William Hall and, now, HMCS Frédérick Rolette.
On January 23, 2015, the Government of Canada announced the awarding of the build contract with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. for the construction of up to six Harry DeWolf-class AOPS as part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). This contract, valued at $2.3 billion, marks the start of the construction phase under the NSPS. Construction is set to begin in the fall of this year.
The RCN will employ the AOPS to conduct sovereignty and surveillance operations in Canadian waters on all three coasts, including in the Arctic. The AOPS will also be used to support other units of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in the conduct of maritime-related operations, and to support other government departments in carrying out their mandates, as required.
The AOPS are key to the Government of Canada’s ability to deliver on three of our guiding strategies – the Canada First Defence Strategy, the Northern Strategy, and the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.
The NSPS – the largest procurement sourcing arrangement in Canadian history – is expected to create thousands of high-value jobs in shipbuilding and related industries across the country. The Strategy is about undertaking major ship procurements in a smarter, more effective way – a way that sustains Canadian jobs, strengthens the marine sector and provides the best value for Canadian taxpayers.
New Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship to be named in honor of French-Canadian hero of War of 1812, Frédérick Rolette
Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships
The Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) project will deliver six ice-capable ships, designated as the Harry DeWolf Class, after Canadian wartime naval hero Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf.
The AOPS will be capable of:
armed sea-borne surveillance of Canada’s waters, including the Arctic;
providing government situational awareness of activities and events in these regions;
cooperating with other partners in the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments to assert and enforce Canadian sovereignty, when and where necessary.
Construction of the first AOPS will begin in September 2015, with HMCS Harry DeWolf scheduled for delivery in 2018.
The announced names of the Harry DeWolf-class ships to date are:
HMCS Harry DeWolf
HMCS Margaret Brooke
HMCS Max Bernays
HMCS William Hall
HMCS Frédérick Rolette
Specifications
Displacement
6,440 tonnes
Length
338 feet/103 m
Beam
62.3 feet/19 m
Maximum speed
17 knots/19.5 mph/31 km/h
Cruising speed
14 knots/16 mph/26 km/h
Range at Cruising speed
6,800 NM/7,825 miles/12,593.6 km
Complement
65
International ice classification standard
Polar Class 5
Be able to sustain operations
up to 4 months
Remain operational
25 years beyond Initial Operational Capability (IOC)
Harry DeWolf-Class Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship
Features
Integrated Bridge Navigation System
Modern integrated bridge, from which control of navigation, machinery, and damage control systems can be performed.
Multi-Purpose Operational Space
Where operational planning and mission execution will be coordinated.
BAE Mk-38 Gun
Remote controlled 25-mm gun to support domestic constabulary role.
Enclosed Focsle/Cable Deck
Protects foredeck machinery and workspace from harsh Arctic environment.
Helicopter Capability
Depending on the mission, the embarked helicopter could range from a small utility aircraft right up to the new CH-148 maritime helicopter.
Cargo/Payloads
Multiple payload options such as shipping containers, underwater survey equipment, or a landing craft. Ship has a 20-tonne crane to self-load/unload.
Vehicle Bay
For rapid mobility over land or ice, the ship can carry vehicles such as pickup trucks, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), and snowmobiles.
Diesel/Electric Propulsion
Propulsion: Two 4.5 MW main propulsion engines, four 3.6 MW generators.
Retractable Active Fin Stabilizers
Deployed to reduce ship roll for open ocean operations, retracted for operations in ice.
Multi-Role Rescue Boats
Top speed of 35+ knots/40+ mph/65+ km/h, 28 feet/8.5 meters long. Will support rescues, personnel transfers, or boarding operations.
Bow Thrusters
To enable maneuvering or berthing without tug assistance.
