NAC News – Edition 382

Your weekly national and international naval news for the week of November 6th, 2020
Edition – 382 “There was a sense [among allies] that whether or not Trump was here for four or eight years, that Trumpism would outlast Trump and that Europeans needed to be more self-reliant in order to pursue their interests on the world stage.” 3 November 2020 |Torrey Taussig, Rolling Stone
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Rod Hughes – Editor NAC News rhughes@shaw.ca (comments welcome to help improve this service)
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NOTICES
- The Memory Project will honour veterans this year with an online event on Wednesday November 11th featuring short addresses, music, and poems from veteran speakers, and a moment of silence at 11 am . RSVP to join the online Remembrance Ceremony Starting at 10:45 am. Classes and schools are encouraged to join. The event will run until approximately 11:45 a.m. A recording of the event will also be available on Historica Canada’s YouTube channel following the event.
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CANADA
- Warship departs for drug interdiction mission
- Navy recruits graduate from West Coast BMQ
- Things fall apart in the United States — and Canada takes a hard look in the mirror (Editor – not a maritime article but it’s subject could have profound consequence)
- Veterans’ Week 2020 message for all ages (Editor – MND 5:10 min video. There are also copies on YouTube adjusted for different children’s age groups) and Veterans’ Week
- Mom of naval officer killed in 2004 submarine fire named Silver Cross mother
- Whole Foods grocery chain bans employees from wearing poppies (Editor – do I sense a boycott!)(updated – Whole Foods has now reversed its earlier decision after a well-deserved outcry from all across the country!)
- The Future Canadian Surface Combatant and U.S. Approves Possible Sale of SM-2 Block IIIC Missiles to Canada
- Boeing projected to deliver $61B to Canada if selected for Canada’s next fighter (Editor – not a maritime story, until they fly in support of the RCN! I wonder what anti-shipping weapons they would carry…if any)
- Government of Canada issues Advance Contract Award Notice for vessel life extension of Canada’s largest icebreaker
- Sajjan grilled over delay in protecting victims’ rights in military law
- Sailor 3rd Class Kilian Soch: A different life
- Sailor Profile: Lt(N) Stephanie Bengle
- Navy commander to start Tweeting in French after questions raised about English-only Tweets
- Civilian Workforce Appreciation (Editor – RCN 5:37 min video)
- HMCS Sackville – Report of the CO of the Ship
- ★ 59 steps to the Crowsnest – a Documentary (Editor – 1:25 min video advertisement for the documentary airing on 10 November. The 32-minute film will be available on YouTube as of 12:30 pm Eastern time. It will also be available on the Crowsnest Facebook page and website.)
- Maritime Security Challenges Virtual Sessions (Editor – 2 excellent hour-long videos of Sessions 1 and 2 are available)
- New flavours on the radar as navy kitchens aim to better represent diversity of force
- Investigation into crane collapse at Port of Vancouver highlights concerns over large container ships
- CAF Story | 95 Year Old Veteran George Ward
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USA & AMERICAS
- USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Nov. 2, 2020
- Navy Awards $9.47B Contract For First Columbia-Class SSBN, Advance Work On Second Boat
- VIDEO: Blue Angels Fly Legacy Hornets For Last Time (Editor 58 sec video included)
- U.S., Latin American navies begin UNITAS LXI exercise near Ecuador
- Report to Congress on Great Power Competition and National Defense and American Sea Power at a Crossroads: A Plan to Restore the US Navy’s Maritime Advantage
- ★ Op-Ed: Why the U.S. Navy Needs to Start Building its Future and American shipbuilding: An anchor for economic and national security
- Lockheed Martin-Led Team Launches U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship Future USS Marinette (LCS-25)
- Brazilian navy conducts propulsion tests of new diesel-electric submarine S40 Riachuelo
- Navy Shifts Future Carrier JFK to Single-Phase Delivery With F-35C Modifications Included
- ROV utilised to salvage crashed Dutch NH90 helicopter in the Caribbean
- BWXT CEO: Navy’s Next-Generation SSN(X) Attack Boat Will Build Off Columbia Class
- Report to Congress on the Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship
- NAVSEA Issues Draft RFP For Submarine-Launched ‘Snakehead’ LDUUV
- U.S. Justice Department Sells Off Seized Iranian Gasoline
- US Sanctions: Spotlight on Russia (Editor – not sexy, but worth a read because of the broad implications)
- Two-Carrier Fire Drill Trains Sailors to Avoid Problems Found in Early Moments of Bonhomme Richard Fire
- GAO: Navy Needs to Consider More Factors to Better Understand Ship Maintenance Delays
- Chinese Exec Pleads Guilty to Exporting Navy SEAL Boat Technology
- Navy OKs New Uniform Rank Tabs After Sailors Say Camo Caused ‘Uncomfortable Gaze’ (Editor – changing uniforms has some unintended consequences)
- Chief Petty Officer Sentenced to Prison in Latest “Fat Leonard” Case
- Venezuela Oil Exports Fall to New Lows as Clients Wind Down
- Congestion Hits the Panama Canal and the Pandemic Isn’t Helping
- Over $3.5 Million in Fake Pills and Merchandise Seized in California
- Semi-Submersible Captured Smuggling Two Tons of Cocaine (Editor – $65M worth)
- Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Suspend Cruises Through Year End
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INDO-PACIFIC
- Defence Team News – 4 November 2020 (Editor – good look at HMCS Winnipeg’s current exercise during this 3:06 min video)
- Expanded Malabar Exercise to Start on November 3 and Malabar 2020: A show of force on China’s doorstep
- U.S., Bangladesh Navies to Exercise Together During CARAT Bangladesh 2020
- ★ Submarines: Your questions answered (Editor – useful succinct article) and another part of the puzzle explained Why does Australia need 12 submarines?
- After Rafale Jets, India Quietly Working With France to Acquire Stealth Submarines in a Multi-Billion Dollar Deal
- Taiwan to start construction of first local-made submarine
- North Korea Reportedly Builds Two Submarines Able to Shoot Ballistic Missiles
- Bangladesh Navy commissions five new vessels
- Record 4.2 Million TEUs Handled at Shanghai in October
- Mitsui OSK Inks 30-year LNG Carrier Charter for Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 Project
- Philippines Greenlights Oil Exploration in Disputed Sea Without China
- Shipbreaking in full swing in South Asia despite COVID-19
- OOCL orders 7 more 23,000 TEU boxships in China
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EUROPE
- SNMCMG1 Completes Historical Ordnance Disposal Operation in Estonian waters
- NATO warships come under ‘air attack’ off French coast
- UK sends flagship for joint naval drills with Cyprus, France
- ★ Russia’s Most Capable Submarine Belgorod (Editor – extraordinary submarine explained in this 19:40 min video)
- Russian warship operating in Moray Firth
- Project 636 Improved Kilo Class Submarines (Editor – 4:24 min video)
- New Suffren Barracuda-class nuclear-powered attack submarine officially commissioned by French Navy
- Euronaval 2020 Top 5 Topics Covered by Naval News (Editor – 5:05 min video)
- Russian Navy tracking NATO warships in Black Sea
- New French carrier could include F-35B ‘landing spot’
- UK, USMC describe ‘seamless’ Queen Elizabeth integration for F-35B
- Special Forces Storm Oil Tanker Nave Andromeda in the English Channel, 25th Oct 2020 – Time-Lapse (Editor – unclas but seemingly knowledgeable explanation of the boarding in this 5:37 min video)
- Silent Service marks submariner remembrance in London
- Norway Sues Consultancy for $1.6 Billion Over Sunken Frigate
- Live Fire in the Black Sea: AK-630, AK-306, RBU 6000, AK-176, 533mm torpedoes (Editor – a fun look at Russian weapons firing in this 2:10 min video)
- Behind Putin’s new Arctic Strategy lies a quest for natural resources and Putin Pledges Russian Superiority in the Arctic with New Icebreakers and more details in Russia’s fleet to receive ten new icebreakers by 2030
- Royal Navy Vessels to Become ‘Tobacco-Free’ From January
- UK-Based Startup Proposes a Renaissance for Nuclear-Powered Shipping
- Greek Authorities Temporarily Release Maersk Launceston Captain
- ★ ABB Azipod® icebreaking propulsion to power a fleet of newbuild LNG carriers
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MIDDLE EAST
- US moves forward with seizure of Iranian missiles, petroleum bound for Yemen, Venezuela
- International Counter Piracy Operation blows through the Gulf of Aden
- First Sa’ar 6 corvette INS Magen is sailing to Israel to join the Israeli Navy
- Oil Tanker Transits Through the Suez Canal Drop 27% YOY -BIMCO
- Iran Brands US ‘Pirates’ Over Seized Venezuela-bound Oil
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GLOBAL INTERESTS
- Naval News Monthly Recap – October 2020 (Editor – wide ranging 5:26 min video)
- ★ Where’s the Sea Ice? Three Reasons the Arctic Freeze is Late This Year (Editor – two informative videos included)
- Traders Scout for Tankers to Store Diesel as Virus Spreads
- New Boarding as Dryad Warns of Potential Activity in Gulf of Guinea
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SCUTTLEBUTT
- ★ Nautical Nights: ‘Kingston’s Fighting Corvettes’ with Roger Litwiller (Editor – 1:21:10 hr/min YouTube video compliments of the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes and NAC member Roger Litwiller during the 4 Nov museum’s “Nautical Nights Autumn Mini-Series”)
- ★ NAC Toronto Speaker’s Evening Oct 2020 (Editor – the speaker NAC member Gordon Laco was a technical advisor on the movie Greyhound starring Tom Hanks in this 1:23:52 hr video)
- B-39 Russian Foxtrot Submarine Tour in San Diego California Maritime Museum 4k (Editor – 17:45 min tourist video)
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SIGNIFICANT RCN DATES – NOVEMBER
(If you see any omissions or errors please inform me, and more modern significant dates are also welcome. The list draws primarily from the Directory of History and Heritage’s comprehensive “Significant Dates in Canadian Military History”, the now defunct “Canada Channel”, “Legion Magazine”, Roger Litwiller’s excellent web site, the encyclopedic guidance of NAC member and author Fraser McKee, and anywhere else I can find credible information.)
- 1 November 1914 Battle at Coronel A brass plaque at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Esquimalt, BC, is dedicated to the four ex-cadets of the Royal Naval College of Canada and men of Her Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Good Hope who were killed in action in 1914. Four cadets of the first class of the Royal Navy College of Canada, were the first Canadian Navy casualties in WWI. Midshipman Malcolm Cann, Midshipman John V.W. Hatheway, Midshipman William Archibald Palmer, and Midshipman Arthur Wiltshire Silver, died when the British warship HMS Good Hope went down with no survivors, sunk by the German navy. These casualties were avenged 8 December at the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
- 1 November 1920 Three British ships, Aurora, Patriot and Patrician are officially commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy at Portsmouth.
- 1 November 1941 Reserve Divisions are commissioned as HMCS, local names chosen for each.
- 5 November 1962 A fire heavily damages the prototype hydrofoil BRAS D’OR under construction in Quebec.
- 6 November 1940 HMCS Ottawa (I) commanded by Cdr E. Rollo Mainguy, RCN with HMS Harvester sank the Italian Submarine Comandante Faà di Bruno after it attacked Convoy HX-84.
- 6 November 1990 CAF establishes a headquarters under Commodore Kenneth J. Summers in Manama, Bahrain, part of Canada’s contribution to the Persian Gulf War.
- 8 November 1942 British Fleet Air Arm pilots in North Africa conduct the first operational use of anti-gravity suits, developed at the University of Toronto.
- 8 November 1910 HMCS Rainbow arrives in Esquimalt for the first time.
- 8 November 1942 The first German agent is landed from a U-boat off New Carlisle, Quebec and is promptly arrested by the police.
- 9 November 1910 His Majesty’s Dockyard, Esquimalt, is transferred to Canadian ownership and forms the basis for Pacific Command
- 9 November 1940 HMCS Collingwood, the first corvette built in Canada for the RCN, is commissioned.
- 11 November 1918 Armistice Day for the “War to end all Wars” came to an end after more than four years of bloody fighting. 8,826 Canadians served in the RCN and RCNVR. 24 became casualties.
- 13 November 1942 Captain (RN) Frederick Thornton Peters born in Charlottetown and raised in Vernon and Victoria was awarded the VC for his actions 13 Nov 1943. Captain Peters was in the suicide charge” by two little cutters at Oran. The “Walney” and “Hartland” were two ex-American coastguard cutters which were lost in a gallant attempt to force the boom defences in the harbour of Oran during the landings on the North African coast. Captain Peters led his force through the boom in the face of point-blank fire from shore batteries, destroyer, and a cruiser – a feat which was described as one of the great episodes of naval history. The “Walney” reached the jetty disabled and ablaze, she and went down with her colours flying. Blinded in one eye, Captain Peters was the only survivor of the seventeen men on the bridge of the “Walney”. He was taken prisoner but was later released when Oran was captured. On being liberated from the gaol, he was carried through the streets where the citizens hailed him with flowers. He earned the Distinguished Service Order (George V), London Gazette 30 March 1915, Distinguished Service Cross (George V), London Gazette 8 March 1918 and Bar – London Gazette 11 July 1940. British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star with Bar (North Africa 1942-43) 1939-45 Medal, Distinguished Service Cross (USA).
- 13 November 1944 HMCS Algonquin commanded by LCdr Desmond W. Piers, DSO, RCN sank German Minesweepers M-416 and M-427.
- 15 November 1942 While escorting a convoy, HMCS Saguenay is accidentally struck in the stern by freighter SS Azra, which sinks. Saguenay is towed to St. John’s.
- 15 November 1952 First Naval Reserve Air Squadron established, VC-920 at Toronto. To fly Swordfish and Avengers.
- 16 November 1857 PO1 William Hall, ‘Captain of the Foretop,’ of that HMS Shannon, were recommended by the late Captain Peel for the Victoria Cross, for their gallant conduct at a 24-Pounder Gun, brought up to the angle of the Shah Nujjiff, at Lucknow, on the 16th of November, 1857. William Hall was the first Nova Scotian, the first Naval VC earned by a Canadian citizen, and the first Black person to receive the Victoria Cross.
- 16 November 1941 HMCS Prince Robert arrived in Hong Kong escorting units of the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada in TS Awatea.
- 20 November 1943 HMCS Snowberry commanded by A/LCdr James A. Dunn, RCNVR, HMCS Calgary commanded by A/LCDR Henry Hill, RCNVR, and HMCS Nene commanded by sink U-536 near the Azores.
- 20 November 1957 HMCS Labrador, an Arctic patrol vessel, is paid off and later transferred to the Department of Transport.
- 21 November 1953 HMCS Labrador arrived in Halifax, having circumnavigated the North American continent.
- 23 November 1809 Convicted in Canada’s first piracy trial, Edward Jordan is hanged in Halifax.
- 24 November 1944 HMCS Shawinigan while on independent anti-submarine patrol in the Cabot Strait, was torpedoed and sunk by U1228. All 91 of the crew perished.
- 25 November 1950 HMCS Nootka leaves Halifax for the first of two tours of duty in Korea.
- 28 November 1953 The first group of 48 RCN volunteers left Montreal by air for submarine training with the Royal Navy.
- 29 November 1957 HMCS Kenora and Kentville, two paid off minesweepers, are transferred to the Turkish navy as Bandirma and Bartin.