• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

RCN Cruisers

Old Naval Guard

Jr. Member
Inactive
Reaction score
0
Points
110
Hello ,I have a question about the post war Cruisers HMCS Quebec and Ontario. By 1960 both ships had been withdrawn from service. In the UK HMS Tiger a ship  similar to both Canadian ships had been modernized and remained effective till the early 1980s. It had a flight deck, hanger and carried 4 Seakings helicopter. Why did we not try to do the same for Ontario or Quebec, was it a problem of money or manpower. The RCN in 1960 had 20,000 sailors  1 aircraft carrier and numerous destroyers and Frigates I believe all together 50 ships at the time. Were the cruisers perceived as obsolete the navy? Thanks in advance Old Naval Guard
 
Not a naval historian at all but for the sake of discussion, I suspect the cruisers were obsolete before they were built.  Minimal use of seaborn artillery is possible but air tends to trump sea every time.  Shelling was done in Korea, Vietnam and the Falklands effectively because the air threat was reasonably under control although less so in the Falklands.  In the 1950s we were armed for bear, the Russian kind, and the use of guns against targets not defended by air was probably unlikely. 

Today the big ships have aircraft or guided missiles extending their range hundreds of miles and they are acompanied by many destroyers.
 
At the same time guns were pretty much our only option for shelling and anti ship use as anti ship missiles were still in their infancy and just coming of their own. hence why we still had big gun cruisers etc.
 
There were huge budget issues in the 60s and early 70s.  BONAVENTURE was paid off in order to secure funding for the TRIBALS, but even then, we only received half of the originally planned program
 
Well that intresting, I never new that there were suppose to be more Tribals. I know that the RCN was suppose to receive a General purpose frigate, that got cancelled in favour of the Tribals. A pity more weren't built. the Tribals and the General Purpose Frigate. Thanks and Cheers Old Naval guard
 
Back
Top