HMCS Chicoutimi at Yokosuka, October 2017
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History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | Upholder |
Builder | VSEL, Barrow-in-Furness |
Laid down | February 1983 |
Launched | 2 December 1986 |
Commissioned | 7 December 1990 |
Decommissioned | 29 April 1994 |
Identification | Pennant number S40 |
Fate | Transferred to Canada |
Badge | |
Canada | |
Name | Chicoutimi |
Acquired | 1998 |
Commissioned | 3 September 2015 |
Identification | Hull number SSK 879 |
Motto | Maître du Domaine |
Honours and awards | Atlantic, 1941–44 |
Status | Ship in active service |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Upholder/Victoria-class submarine |
Displacement |
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Length | 230 ft 7 in (70.28 m) |
Beam | 23 ft 7 in (7.19 m) |
Draught | 24 ft 11 in (7.59 m) |
Speed |
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Complement | 48 officers and crew, plus 7 trainees |
Armament |
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HMCS Chicoutimi is a Victoria-class long-range hunter-killer (SSK) submarine of the Royal Canadian Navy, originally built and operated by the Royal Navy as HMS Upholder. Shortly after being handed over by the United Kingdom to Canada she was involved in a partial flooding incident which resulted in a fire at sea. The incident sparked a fierce debate over the value of the purchase of this group of second-hand vessels, as well as the handover inspection process. The subsequent investigation "determined the fire was caused by human, technical and operational factors, [and] the board cleared the commanding officer and crew of any blame."[1] The submarine was repaired and entered Canadian service in 2015.