The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is tasked to provide maritime security along the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic coasts of Canada, exercise Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic archipelago, and support Canada's multi-national and bilateral interests overseas. It comprises the Pacific Fleet at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt, and the Atlantic Fleet at CFB Halifax. CFB Esquimalt is on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, and is home to 15 vessels and 6,000 staff, the headquarters for Maritime Forces Pacific, His Majesty's Canadian (HMC) Dockyard Esquimalt, Fleet Maintenance Facility – Cape Breton (FMF-CB), Fire Fighting and Damage Control School, the Naval Officer Training Centre (NOTC Venture), and extensive housing. CFB Halifax is home port for the 18 vessels of the Canadian Atlantic Fleet and situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia. CFB Halifax employs 7,000 civilians and military staff, and hosts the Canadian Atlantic Fleet headquarters, HMC Dockyard Halifax, FMF Cape Scott, extensive maritime research facilities, an ammunition depot, and the four maritime squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force that deploy helicopters aboard ships.[1][2] The Canadian Armed Forces are currently constructing a new naval facility at Nanisivik, Baffin Island, to provide a summer port for RCN patrols in the Canadian arctic.[3]
With the loss of area air defence capabilities in 2015 (and, temporarily, at-sea replenishment capabilities), the RCN was, at that time, classified as a Rank 5 navy (offshore regional coastal defence) on the Todd-Lindberg navy classification system, dropping from Rank 3 (multiregional power projection).[4] Commissioned vessels are designated as 'His Majesty's Canadian Ship' (HMCS), minor ships as 'Patrol Craft Training' (PCT) and auxiliaries as 'Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel' (CFAV).[5]
- ^ Navy, Government of Canada, National Defence, Royal Canadian. "Royal Canadian Navy: Home". www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Gimblett, Richard. "Royal Canadian Navy". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- ^ Bird, Michael (4 March 2015). "Making waves: The Navy's Arctic ambition revealed". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ Gilmore, Scott. "The Sinking of the Canadian Navy". Maclean's. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ Navy, Government of Canada, National Defence, Royal Canadian. "Fleet & Units | Royal Canadian Navy". www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)