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HMCS Athabaskan (DDH 282)
Encyclopedia
HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282) is an that has served the Canadian Forces
since 1972.
Athabaskan is the third ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal-class or simply as the 280-class. She is the third vessel to use the designation .
Athabaskan was laid down on 1 June 1969 at Davie Shipbuilding
, Lauzon
and was launched on 27 November 1970. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 30 September 1972 and carries the hull classification symbol
282.
Athabaskan completed a refit known as the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project (TRUMP) on 4 June 1994. At this time her classification changed from Destroyer Helicopter (DDH) to Destroyer Guided Missile (DDG).
She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic
(MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax
.
missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic Ocean
and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone
. She has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean
; specifically, the Persian Gulf
and Arabian Sea
after Iraq occupied Kuwait.
(SNMG1).
, the Canadian Forces' assistance to coalition Operation Desert Shield. The weapons included a Close-In Weapons System (CIWS).
Athabaskan was appointed flagship of the Canadian Naval Task Group, which included the destroyer and supply ship . The Task Group was sent to the central Persian Gulf, with other coalition naval forces, through the fall of 1990.
After Operation Desert Storm began in January 1991, the Task Group undertook escort duties for hospital ships and other vulnerable naval vessels of the coalition. The detonated two Iraq
i bottom-moored influence mines
(MANTAs) at the north end of the Persian Gulf and was seriously damaged. Athabaskan was not assigned to the area, but the commanding officer of Princeton specifically requested her assistance. Unlike most ships of her size, she could simultaneously operate two large CH-124 Sea King
helicopters, which could search out mines for long periods. Athabaskan and her helicopters helped both ships avoid mines until the minesweeper USS Adroit escorted them out of the minefield. As a gesture of solidarity, Athabaskan winched over several cases of beer for the crew of Princeton, since United States Navy
vessels were dry.officially without alcoholic beverages Athabaskan returned to her Task Group and remained on station in the Persian Gulf until after the war ended. After the hostilities were complete she was relieved by her sister ship .
ship that were deployed to Mississippi
and Louisiana
to assist disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina
. This was part of the larger Canadian response to Hurricane Katrina
.
, following rapid outfitting Athabaskan and were deployed to Haiti
to assist with disaster relief efforts after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake
. This was as part of the larger multi-pronged Canadian response of DART
(Disaster Assistance Response Team). The crew of the Athabaskan primarily concentrated relief efforts in the city of Léogâne
where the crew assisted in triage efforts with the Canadian Medical Assistance Team, cleared rubble within Notre Dame Asylum, built three orphanages and lent aid to five others. Léogâne is a city of 135,000 that was slow to receive relief efforts and was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake. There were an estimated 20,000-30,000 casualties in the city.
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
since 1972.
Athabaskan is the third ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal-class or simply as the 280-class. She is the third vessel to use the designation .
Athabaskan was laid down on 1 June 1969 at Davie Shipbuilding
Davie Shipbuilding
Davie Shipbuilding is a historic shipbuilding company located in Lauzon, Quebec. The facility has undergone restructuring and is currently operating as Davie Yards Incorporated.-History:...
, Lauzon
Lauzon, Quebec
Lauzon is a former city in southern Quebec, Canada, located on the St. Lawrence River northeast of Lévis. Founded in 1910, Lauzon had a population of about 14,500 when it merged with Lévis in 1989...
and was launched on 27 November 1970. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 30 September 1972 and carries the hull classification symbol
Hull classification symbol (Canada)
The Royal Canadian Navy uses hull classification symbols to identify the types of its ships, which are similar to the United States Navy's Hull classification symbol system...
282.
Athabaskan completed a refit known as the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project (TRUMP) on 4 June 1994. At this time her classification changed from Destroyer Helicopter (DDH) to Destroyer Guided Missile (DDG).
She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic
Maritime Forces Atlantic
In the Canadian Forces, Maritime Forces Atlantic is responsible for the fleet and operations of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean. The Commander of MARLANT is a two-star Rear Admiral....
(MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
.
Command Team
- Commanding OfficerCommanding officerThe commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
: Commander Michael E. Davie - Executive OfficerExecutive officerAn executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
: Lieutenant Commander Daniel Beaulac - CoxswainCoxswainThe coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
: Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Steve Strba
Service
Athabaskan serves on MARLANTMaritime Forces Atlantic
In the Canadian Forces, Maritime Forces Atlantic is responsible for the fleet and operations of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean. The Commander of MARLANT is a two-star Rear Admiral....
missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
. She has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
; specifically, the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
after Iraq occupied Kuwait.
NATO missions in Atlantic Ocean
Athabaskan has also participated in several NATO missions, patrolling the Atlantic Ocean as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and its successor Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1Standing NRF Maritime Group 1
Standing NATO Maritime Group One is one of NATO's standing maritime Immediate Reaction Forces. Prior to 1 January 2005 it was known as Standing Naval Force Atlantic...
(SNMG1).
Iraq–Kuwait war in Persian Gulf
In August 1990, Athabaskan was hurriedly refitted with several advanced weapons for Operation FRICTIONOperation FRICTION
Operation FRICTION was a Canadian military operation that saw the contribution of 4,500 Canadian Forces personnel to the 1991 Gulf War. The US components, by far the largest, were Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm....
, the Canadian Forces' assistance to coalition Operation Desert Shield. The weapons included a Close-In Weapons System (CIWS).
Athabaskan was appointed flagship of the Canadian Naval Task Group, which included the destroyer and supply ship . The Task Group was sent to the central Persian Gulf, with other coalition naval forces, through the fall of 1990.
After Operation Desert Storm began in January 1991, the Task Group undertook escort duties for hospital ships and other vulnerable naval vessels of the coalition. The detonated two Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i bottom-moored influence mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
(MANTAs) at the north end of the Persian Gulf and was seriously damaged. Athabaskan was not assigned to the area, but the commanding officer of Princeton specifically requested her assistance. Unlike most ships of her size, she could simultaneously operate two large CH-124 Sea King
CH-124 Sea King
The Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King is a twin-engined anti-submarine warfare helicopter designed for shipboard use. The Canadian variant is based on the US Navy's SH-3 and has been continuously in service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces since 1963.-Design and development:The advent of...
helicopters, which could search out mines for long periods. Athabaskan and her helicopters helped both ships avoid mines until the minesweeper USS Adroit escorted them out of the minefield. As a gesture of solidarity, Athabaskan winched over several cases of beer for the crew of Princeton, since United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
vessels were dry.officially without alcoholic beverages Athabaskan returned to her Task Group and remained on station in the Persian Gulf until after the war ended. After the hostilities were complete she was relieved by her sister ship .
Disaster relief in U.S.
On 2 September 2005, Athabaskan was one of several MARLANT vessels and a Canadian Coast GuardCanadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
ship that were deployed to Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
to assist disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. This was part of the larger Canadian response to Hurricane Katrina
Canadian response to Hurricane Katrina
Canada's first response to the disaster inflicted by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf of Mexico coastline of the United States was the deployment of a Vancouver heavy urban search and rescue team, which arrived in Lafayette, Louisiana on the evening of August 31, 2005, arriving on a WestJet...
.
Disaster relief in Haiti
On 14 January 2010, as part of Operation HestiaOperation Hestia
Operation Hestia is the name of the Canadian Forces humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January, 2010. Operation Hestia is the military component of an interagency response that also involves Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and the Canadian...
, following rapid outfitting Athabaskan and were deployed to Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
to assist with disaster relief efforts after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. This was as part of the larger multi-pronged Canadian response of DART
Disaster Assistance Response Team
The Disaster Assistance Response Team is a rapidly deployable team of 200 Canadian Forces personnel. It provides assistance to disaster-affected regions for up to 40 days. DART's headquarters is in Kingston, Ontario...
(Disaster Assistance Response Team). The crew of the Athabaskan primarily concentrated relief efforts in the city of Léogâne
Léogane
Léogâne is a seaside town in Ouest Department, Haïti. It is located in the eponymous arrondissement, the Léogâne Arrondissement. The port town is located about West of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. The town was at the epicenter of the 12 January 2010 earthquake, and was catastrophically...
where the crew assisted in triage efforts with the Canadian Medical Assistance Team, cleared rubble within Notre Dame Asylum, built three orphanages and lent aid to five others. Léogâne is a city of 135,000 that was slow to receive relief efforts and was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake. There were an estimated 20,000-30,000 casualties in the city.
Timeline
- 1969, Jun 1: laid down
- 1970, Nov 27: launched Lauzon PQ
- 1972, Sep 30: commissioned
- 1981, Nov 26: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan's Sea King helicopter removed 44 people from oil rig Rowan Juneau off Sable Island in 60 knot winds & sea state 5 conditions.
- 1990, Aug 24: refitted for Operation Friction, part of Operation Desert Shield
- 1990, fall: sent to Persian Gulf
- 1991, Jan: escort duties
- 1991, Feb 18: Within three hours and ten nautical miles (19 km), USS TRIPOLI and PRINCETON struck mines while conducting operations in the northern Persian Gulf. Ships lead out of danger by HMCS Athabaskan.
- 1991, Apr: returns to Halifax for refit
- 1991, Oct 15: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan arrived Sorel PQ for TRUMP modernization
- 1994, Jun 4: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan completed TRUMP refit Marine Industries Ltd Sorel PQ
- 1995, Oct 8: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan departed Halifax for South American UNITAS exercises.
- 1999, Mar 15: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan departed Halifax to Join STANAVFORLANT in Hamilton Bermuda.
- 2000, Mar 9: New Orleans
- 2004, Jun 24: Boston
- 2004, Jun 28: Halifax
- 2004, Sep 22: Halifax
- 2004, Nov 8: HMC Ships Athabaskan, St John’s, Halifax and Toronto, that formed part of Task Group 301.1, departed from their anchorages in Bedford Basin to rendezvous with the remainder of the Task Group. The ships were to participate in Combat Readiness Operations (CRO), one of the largest exercises led by the Canadian Navy in the last decade and the largest grouping of Canadian ships since Operation Apollo.
- 2004, Nov 19: Norfolk
- 2005, Mar 2: Nassau
- 2005, May 28: New York (Fleet Week)
- 2005, Sep 2: deployed to US Gulf Coast to assist disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
- 2005, Sep 11: New Orleans
- 2005, Sep 12: Pensacola
- 2005, Sep 22: Norfolk
- 2006, Jan 11: HMCS Athabaskan departed Halifax on a six-month deployment to join the Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group One (SNMG1) in Kiel.
- 2006, Jan 19: Plymouth Sound
- 2006, Jan 23: Kiel Canal (International Squadron). Flagship 25th.
- 2006, Feb 5: off Denmark coast, Sea King trying to land crashes. No casualties or injuries
- 2006, Feb 19: Valletta (International Squadron)
- 2006, Mar 8: Malaga (International Squadron)
- 2006, Mar 17: Den Helder (International Squadron)
- 2006, Apr 13: Antwerp (International Squadron)
- 2006, Apr 20: Devonport (International Squadron)
- 2006, Apr 21: Warships moored at Devonport Naval Base commemorate the 80th birthday of HM The Queen. Foreign ships from the Standing Naval Maritime Group One (flagship HMCS Athabaskan) are also taking part. This is a squadron of eight to ten destroyers and frigates from across NATO countries that patrols mainly in the eastern Atlantic conducting joint training exercises. The group are currently taking part in Flag Officer Sea Training at Devonport.
- 2006, Apr 28: Lisbon (International Squadron)
- 2006, May 16: Rota (International Squadron)
- 2006, Jun 6: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (International Squadron)
- 2006, Jun 28: Cape Verde (International Squadron)
- 2006, Jul 10: Halifax
- 2006, Nov 20: Morehead City
- 2008, Apr 11: Boston
- 2008, summer: in Halifax for 5 weeks in summer
- 2008, late Jun: leaves Halifax Harbour for a week of trials and drills
- 2008, Jul 27: arrives in St. John's NFLD for 5 days of rest and festivities, including Canada Day
- 2008, Oct 27: first successful sea trials with new laser-gyro INS
- 2008, Nov 29: Boston
- 2009, Feb 28: Bermuda
- 2009, Mar 3: In ceremony aboard Athabaskan in Bermuda, Commodore Norman takes over Atlantic Fleet
- 2009, May 20: New YorkStapleton, Staten IslandStapleton is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. It is located along the waterfront of Upper New York Bay, bounded on the north by Tompkinsville at Grant Street, on the south by Clifton at Vanderbilt Avenue, and on the west by St. Paul's Avenue and...
(Fleet Week) - 2009, Aug 20: Cdr P. Crain takes command of HMCS Athabaskan
- 2009, Sep 28: Exercise Joint Warrior off the coast of Scotland. Ship proceeds through Scapa Flow to pay respect to HMS Royal Oak. Glasgow and Edinburgh port visits.
- 2010, Jan 13: Prepares to deploy to Haiti in Canadian relief for an earthquake2010 Haiti earthquakeThe 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
that had impacted on Jan 12. - 2010, Jan 14: Ship Sails from CFB Halifax enroute to Haiti along with for humanitarian Operation HESTIA
- 2010, Mar 17: Ship returns to Halifax.
- 2010, May 6: Lt. Governor's Cruise to Sydney, NS to Celebrate Canadian Navy Centennial.
- 2010, May 26: New YorkStapleton, Staten IslandStapleton is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. It is located along the waterfront of Upper New York Bay, bounded on the north by Tompkinsville at Grant Street, on the south by Clifton at Vanderbilt Avenue, and on the west by St. Paul's Avenue and...
(Fleet Week) - 2010, Jun 29: HMCS Athabaskan is command ship for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II review of International Fleet in Halifax Harbour as part of Canadian Navy Centennial celebrations.
- 2010, Nov 1: Task Group Exercise 2-10, Boston, Ft. Lauderdale, Norfolk port visits.
- 2010, Dec 17: Cdr Micheal Davie takes command of HMCS Athabaskan.