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Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs)

And I ended up working at Route Survey for a year as the Side-scan SONAR tech.

Good times.

 
Good2Golf said:
11?

So at 12 MCDV, does that mean Canada’s Navy has more of something than the USN? ???

And they're (slightly) newer! 

MilEME09 said:
Well that gives us an opportunity to be a very useful card in the deck, send a Halifax and say 3 MCDV's to the gulf, two on duty, one in reserve. I am no expect but I feel like we would become a very crucial coalition asset if tensions flared up.

Yes, except that our MCDVs are steel hulled and the engines aren't shock-mounted, so we'd sweep acoustic and magnetic mines once.  The Avenger-class is wooden hulled and (I think) engines are dampened specifically to try and prevent acoustic mine detonation. 

I'm not nearly as swept up (haha) as I should be on the MCDVs anymore but I doubt people are still training on the actual MCM side of things?
 
Dimsum said:
And they're (slightly) newer! 

Yes, except that our MCDVs are steel hulled and the engines aren't shock-mounted, so we'd sweep acoustic and magnetic mines once.  The Avenger-class is wooden hulled and (I think) engines are dampened specifically to try and prevent acoustic mine detonation. 

I'm not nearly as swept up (haha) as I should be on the MCDVs anymore but I doubt people are still training on the actual MCM side of things?

We actually haven't swept using mechanical mine sweeping gear in many years. We have however brand new degausing gear and have the REMUS AUV's for mine detection. Two MCDV's deployed to Europe last year and was attached the NATO mine sweeping group. My ship is currently getting ready to do a MCM WUP's later this month. We do have the ability to this however I doubt the adults would send us over.
 
Chief Engineer said:
We actually haven't swept using mechanical mine sweeping gear in many years. We have however brand new degausing gear and have the REMIS AUV's for mine detection. Two MCDV's deployed to Europe last year as was attached the NATO mine sweeping group. My ship is currently getting ready to do a MCM WUP's later this month. We do have the ability to this however I doubt the adults would send us over.

That’s a shame, Chief! :not-again:
 
Good2Golf said:
That’s a shame, Chief! :not-again:

Then again I never thought they would be sending our ships to Africa either, you never know. I did hear talk about sending ships over that way.
 
Chief Engineer said:
Then again I never thought they would be sending our ships to Africa either, you never know. I did hear talk about sending ships over that way.

We sent Iltis to Afghanistan... for a short period of time.
 
Chief Engineer said:
We actually haven't swept using mechanical mine sweeping gear in many years. We have however brand new degausing gear and have the REMUS AUV's for mine detection. Two MCDV's deployed to Europe last year and was attached the NATO mine sweeping group. My ship is currently getting ready to do a MCM WUP's later this month. We do have the ability to this however I doubt the adults would send us over.

If they do, hopefully they install a 35mm in a RWS to discourage visitors.
 
Colin P said:
If they do, hopefully they install a 35mm in a RWS to discourage visitors.

A hunter-killer submarine in the area would be more to my liking but, then again, I'm a 'one way soldier' and shouldn't be connected with maritime strategy in any way ;)
 
Dimsum said:
Yes, except that our MCDVs are steel hulled and the engines aren't shock-mounted, so we'd sweep acoustic and magnetic mines once. 

One of the main issues inhibiting the use of the MCDV's is the 1944 public (and politicians by default) perceive naval mine warfare as not having advanced since then. 

With all these new UXV's why would anyone actually go into a minefield, when UAV's can look for surface mines and UUVs can look for bottom mines.  Ship stays out of the minefield and sends its minions in.  If you want to mechanically sweep you use a helicopter for that.
 
Well the public/politicians think that all sea mines float on chains with pointy things all over them and subs travel through the sea making a lovely "pinging" noise.
 
Colin P said:
If they do, hopefully they install a 35mm in a RWS to discourage visitors.

Why 35mm?  Do we have other weapons that use that calibre?  Why not 25mm to be in line with the LAVs or 20mm for CIWS? 

It'd be much easier on common parts, ammo, etc.
 
Underway said:
One of the main issues inhibiting the use of the MCDV's is the 1944 public (and politicians by default) perceive naval mine warfare as not having advanced since then. 

With all these new UXV's why would anyone actually go into a minefield, when UAV's can look for surface mines and UUVs can look for bottom mines.  Ship stays out of the minefield and sends its minions in.  If you want to mechanically sweep you use a helicopter for that.

Thats exactly what we do.
 
“One of the main issues inhibiting the use of the MCDV's is the 1944 public (and politicians by default) perceive naval mine warfare as not having advanced since then.”

You’re right, and it’s especially a shame since it was the US that mined Haiphong harbour, and thus re-proved the relevancy of naval mines, and mine hunting, since it was the USN which removed the very same mines in short order as a commitment to the Peace Accords.
 
Saw a photo of Glace Bay in Cutlass Fury and wondered what that green container might be.

Photo of HMCS Glace Bay with unknown container:
http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/en/photo-search.page#ipa_assetDetail=%7BB1AD8358-4B58-431B-ACDC-7265C99D916D%7D



I suspect it may be this:

Elbit Systems Canadian Subsidiary Completes Tests of a Second Sonar System with the Royal Canadian Navy

https://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/206201/elbit%E2%80%99s-canadian-unit-completes-tests-of-second-sonar-system.html

NOVA SCOTIA, Canada --- Elbit Systems’ Canadian subsidiary, GeoSpectrum Technologies (GTI), announces the successful Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) trial of its Towed Reelable Active Passive Sonar (TRAPS) on board the HMCS Glace Bay of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), completing final assessment of a second TRAPS onboard RCN’s vessels (tests of GTI’s TRAPS onboard HMCS Shawinigan were competed during September 2018). The performance trials of TRAPS with HMCS Glace Bay were conducted by the Department of National Defence’s science and technology organization and the Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC).

Easily deployed and recovered by a single operator, the sonar system showed great potential through the trials period, meeting predicted ranges in target detection, in both passive and active modes against different targets.

TRAPS is a Low Frequency (LF) variable-depth-sonar intended for detection, tracking and classification of submarines, midget submarines, surface vessels and torpedoes. Its’ “wet-end” towed arrays’ acoustic elements are a vertical projector and a receive array. TRAPS’ unique advantage is that its’ projector array is reel-able and stows on the winch drum with the receive array and tow cable. This system enables the Royal Canadian Navy to expand the capabilities of ships like the Kingston and Henry (?) Dewolfe Class into an Anti-submarine role.


Elbit info: https://elbitsystems.com/landing/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/GEOSPECTRUM-TECHNOLOGIES-INC.-BROCHURE-TRAPS.pdf

 
LoboCanada said:
Saw a photo of Glace Bay in Cutlass Fury and wondered what that green container might be.

Photo of HMCS Glace Bay with unknown container:
http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/en/photo-search.page#ipa_assetDetail=%7BB1AD8358-4B58-431B-ACDC-7265C99D916D%7D



I suspect it may be this:

Elbit Systems Canadian Subsidiary Completes Tests of a Second Sonar System with the Royal Canadian Navy

https://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/206201/elbit%E2%80%99s-canadian-unit-completes-tests-of-second-sonar-system.html


Elbit info: https://elbitsystems.com/landing/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/GEOSPECTRUM-TECHNOLOGIES-INC.-BROCHURE-TRAPS.pdf

Nothing to do with TRAPS.
 
All fixed and ready to go

https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/canadian-warship-nears-completion-of-5m-upgrade-1.4789224?fbclid=IwAR17aV2SH3hV9L6aRm4WlrPZpPV44Ddlv8f5UiC3OA2Cya0bbP-whQKesa8
 
Dang that picture got me all excited that they had re-installed a new gun system on it, then realized it's just an old photo.
 
Well according to the Commander of the RCN, the Kingston Class will be extended instead of being paid off.
 
Chief Engineer said:
Well according to the Commander of the RCN, the Kingston Class will be extended instead of being paid off.


As an experienced Navy guy, what are your thoughts on that Chief Engineer?  (Or Underway, or any other Navy folks on here?)
 
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