NAC News – Edition 551
Your weekly national and international naval news for the week of February 9th, 2024
Edition: 551 Quote: “It benefits [Russia] for everyone to think that there’s a back channel…because it scares the hell out of the Ukrainians. The Russians want us to create this idea that…everything depends on the U.S. so no one or nothing else plays a role. It’s a classic Russian play.” 26 January 2024, Fiona Hill, Bloomberg
Rod Hughes: Editor NAC News rhughes@shaw.ca (Comments welcome to help improve this service.) Links to keep in touch with the NAC and RCN can be found at the bottom of this email. Contact Kevin Goheen executivedirector-nac@outlook.com if you wish someone to be added to the NAC News email distribution. (Influencer or good candidates to become a NAC member, and note the first year’s NAC/Branch membership dues are waived)
NOTICES
27 February 2024 7:30 – 18:00 Ottawa time, ShipTech Forum 2024. This year’s theme is “Pushing Fleets Beyond Designed Life”. NAC is an official supporter of the organizer VANGUARD, Canada’s leading trade media that serves the Canadian defence and security industries. Vanguard expects 300+ attendees and 12 exhibitors. As such there is a $50 discount for NAC members who wish to purchase a ticket and the promo code is STF24_NAC. All CAF, CCG, & government personnel can register for FREE. Not Able to Attend in Person: all speaker sessions will be live streamed, to allow for virtual attendance.
7-8 March 2024 CDA Institute – Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence. The Ottawa Conference on Security & Defence is the largest and longest-standing event of its kind in Canada. Founded in 1932, the Conference of Defence Associations is an umbrella organization for 45 member associations who represent over 400,000 active and retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces. NAC is a member Association. This event is now 70% tickets sold.
1-3 May 2024 NIBC’s Maritime Arctic 2024 conference (Editor – agenda and speakers at this link), Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour, Victoria, BC. This international two-and-a-half-day conference will consist of informative presentations, interactive Q&A sessions, and panel discussions, bringing together key Canadian and international stakeholders in the maritime industry, environmental organizations, governmental transport authorities, coast guards, consultants, and technology providers. Social and professional networking opportunities will be embedded in the programme. NAC members are eligible for the “Affiliate” reduced rate.
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THIS WEEK’S SIGNIFICANT ARTICLES
Whether Trump or Biden wins, Canada must make defence spending a major priority: Richard Shimooka in the Hub (Editor – we may not like it, but ignoring the 900 lb. gorilla isn’t a sensible option)
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CANADA
20 BC Ferries vessels undergoing retrofits this year, company says
US decision to pause LNG terminal approvals concerning
Woman testifies she froze, feared for her life during alleged sex assault by former head of military HR then Lawyer for retired vice-admiral Edmundson challenges woman’s claim he exposed himself, sex assault trial hears
Results exceed expectations for UQAR’s Marine Acoustic Research Station (Editor – Laurentian Channel
Union Survey Reveals Alarming Level of Harassment on Canadian Ships
First Successful Recipients of the B.C. Maritime Industries Infrastructure Modernization and Expansion Grant Program are announced (Editor – a few companies of interest!)
CAF members can now submit grievances using the new Digital Grievance Submission Form
RCN ranks (Editor – 30 sec video)
Lookout: Volume 69, Issue 4, January 29, 2024
Trident: Monday 5 February 2024 Volume 58, Issue 3 and on page 2 HMCS Charlottetown to join largest NATO exercise in decades
Canadian Naval Review (CNR) Winter 2024 Edition (Editor – a subscription is required for full access) one of the available articles The Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft Project: Some Recent Developments
NAC Naval Affairs Programme Briefing Note #46 Information Operations & Warfare
(Editor – Please share to anyone you think may benefit from the knowledge, after all, that’s what our naval affairs programme is all about – educating Canadians)
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USA & AMERICAS
USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Feb. 5, 2024
5 Marines Killed in California Helo Crash
The Fattest Ugliest Ship Spotted with a New Secret Weapon (Editor – the subject of articles from Edition 549 in a 9:31 min video)
Austal USA Shipyard Plans Major Steel Line Expansion
Vice Admiral Brendan McLane, Commander of Naval Surface Forces (Editor – 28:27 min video)
Littoral Combat Ship USS Kingsville Complete Acceptance Trials
USNS Brunswick returns home after 7 years in the Western Pacific
OPT discuss ISR buoy solution for greater maritime awareness
The American Sea Power Project (Editor – 13:24 min video)
House Committee Seeks Answers to the Decline of U.S. Sealift Readiness and remember Logistics Wins (and Loses) Wars
Navy Personnel Chief Sees Low Risk in Recruiting Sailors Without High School Diplomas
Why Venezuela Wants to Annex Over Half of Guyana | WSJ (Editor – details as a follow up to last week’s article in a 6:14 min video. Wars are often fought over resources)
Panama Canal Expected to Maintain Current Transit Levels Through Dry Season with End of El Niño Could Bring Relief for Panama Canal Water Crisis
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INDO-PACIFIC
North Korea Test Fires Cruise-Missile; Kim Jong Un Calls for Naval Buildup
The Plane that is Going to Save the World? (Editor – a slick MPA in a 14:06 min video)
Philippines Bolsters Defenses in Strategic Luzon Strait
Australian Sailors to Embed on U.S. Navy Submarine Tender in Guam
Samsung Heavy Industries lands massive $3.4B order for 15 LNG carriers
Australia Seizes Cocaine Hidden on Buses Imported on Car Carrier
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EUROPE
Ukraine:
Black Sea Successes and Ukraine’s Path to Victory
Details and footage of the destruction of the Russian Black Sea Fleet missile boat Ivanovets (Editor – a more detailed 6:02 min video. Lake Donuzlav)
What the U.S.-Supplied GLSDB Could Mean for the War in Ukraine | WSJ Equipped (Editor – a look at where weapons tech is going in a 6:37 min video)
First-hand look at Ukraine’s thermal ‘invisibility cloaks’ (Editor – not naval, however extraordinary in a 2:54 min video)
General:
U.K. Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth Sidelined, European Carriers Head for Pacific
What is the state of Royal Navy land-attack missile capability?
Sevmash launches fifth Borei-A ballistic missile submarine
Greece Expresses Interest In Co-Production Of Constellation-Class Frigates
Sweden Drops Investigation Into Nord Stream Blasts with FACTBOX: What is known about destruction of Nord Stream, Nord Stream 2 pipelines and German Prosecutor General confirms ongoing probe into Nord Stream explosions
US Sanctions Halt Delivery of New Vessels for Russia’s Arctic LNG 2
Inside the operations room of a £1.4bn Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer (Editor – timely 2:41 min video)
Norway Seeks International Partners For Future Frigate
Royal Navy Spends Big on AI-Driven Predictive Maintenance
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MIDDLE EAST
Red Sea:
USNI News Timeline: Conflict in the Red Sea
Maersk CEO Says Military Operations Can’t Guarantee Safety of Ships in Red Sea
Why Don’t Cargo Ships Use Guns to Fight Pirates? (Editor – starts slow, a 12:07 min video)
Houthis Target British, Greek Ships in Red Sea with Houthis Say They Fired at Two Ships in Red Sea, Damaging Both and Houthi Militants Fire Six Ballistic Missiles at Two Ships
U.S. Forces Destroy Two Houthi Suicide Drone Boats
US launches more strikes against Houthis in Yemen and U.S. Destroyers, Fighters Join in Multi-National Strike Against 36 Houthi Targets
HMS Richmond Takes Over for HMS Diamond in Red Sea’s Operation Prosperity Guardian
Can plunge in Suez Canal earnings prompt Egypt to broker peace to end Red Sea crisis?
General:
Deep Intel on the B-1 Strike in Iraq and Syria (Editor – long reach of the USAF passing over Nova Scotia in a 6:57 min video)
WDS 2024: Russia showcases Steregushchiy-class corvette in Saudi Arabia
WDS 2024: China’s CSSC displays Type 071 amphibious transport dock LPD
WDS 2024: Navantia showcases Saudi Avante 2200 corvette Al Jubail
WDS 2024: Fincantieri promotes U212 NFS submarine equipped with lithium battery systems
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GLOBAL INTERESTS
New Report Sheds Light on Rapid Expansion of Arctic Shipping
LNG carrier deliveries this year to smash previous record by close to 50%
As Navies Focus On Red Sea Houthis, Somali Pirates Are Making A Comeback and India navy rescues two hijacked vessels off Somalia coast in two days
Royal Navy sailors clear tonnes of waste abandoned on Antarctic island after 1984 expedition
University of Gothenburg AUV Goes Missing Under Antarctic Ice Shelf
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SCUTTLEBUTT
Corvette Port Arthur | Canada In Action (1944) Propaganda film (Editor – rousing stuff in a 22:05 min video)
Hitler’s U-Boat Lair: The Secret Nazi Underwater Superstructures | Timeline (Editor – 53:59 min video)
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THIS WEEK IN RCN/MARITIME HISTORY
10 February 1942 HMCS Spikenard is torpedoed by U136 and sunk in the North Atlantic. There were only 8 survivors and 57 perished.
11 February 1942 The unescorted motor tanker MV Victolite, (Imperial Oil Shipping Co. Ltd of Toronto), was sailing from Halifax to Las Piedras, Venezuela with a cargo of ballast seawater in her tanks (She would be returning to Halifax with tanks of Venezuelan petroleum). At 0328 on 11 Feb 42, she was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-564 about 260 nm north-northwest of Bermuda. The surfaced U-boat watched the crew abandon their ship in lifeboats, identified the vessel from her distress signals, and then shelled her for a short time to confirm that all crew had left. A boarding party in a rubber dinghy then went to the abandoned tanker to search for secret documents and diesel oil that could be used to refuel the U-boat, but all safes were open and empty, and the fuel found was unsuitable as it was too viscous. The boarding party left after placing four scuttling charges in the engine room. However, the ship remained afloat after the explosions and U-564 shelled her again. The U-boat left the burning wreck behind after firing 98 rounds from the deck gun into the tanks and the superstructure. The lifeboats with the 45 crew members and the 2 Royal Navy DEMS gunners were never seen again.
11 February 1944 A Wellington from RCAF Squadron 407 sank U-283 in the North Atlantic.
14 February 1945 Five Motor Torpedo Boats (459, 461, 462, 465, 466) of the Canadian 29th Flotilla accidently burned in Ostende harbour, three boats were saved. 26 RCN and 35 RN crew were killed. This disaster was a stunning blow to the men of the small craft everywhere; and only the 65th Canadian Flotilla now remained to carry on to the end of the war with what was perhaps the most colourful, the most closely knit and the most thoroughly “allied” of all forces in which men of British, Canadian, French and many other nationalities worked together.
15 February 1965 The Maple Leaf becomes Canada’s official flag.
15 February 1982 the semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit “Ocean Ranger” sank in what was one of the worst offshore accidents in Canadian history. The Ocean Ranger was drilling an exploration well on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland for Mobil Oil of Canada, Ltd with 84 crew members on board when it sank in a storm. There were no survivors.
16 February 1945 HMCS Saint John commanded by Cdr (RN) Layard (temporarily in Command while A/LCdr William R. Stacey, DSC, RCNR was absent) sank the German submarine U-309 off the northeast coast of Scotland near Moray Firth.
SIGNIFICANT RCN DATES – If you see any omissions or errors please inform me, and any more modern significant dates are also welcomed. 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”, The Naval Service of Canada, Its Official History Vol 1-3, NAC member Roger Litwiller’s excellent web site, encyclopedic guidance from NAC member Fraser McKee, the Uboat.net site, and anywhere else I can find credible information. For the merchant ship history, a special thanks to NAC member Bill Dziadyk for his able assistance and detailed work. The RCN lost 1,965 men and 24 ships during the War, most of them in the Atlantic. A comprehensive list of the staggering merchant losses – sunk, damaged, or lost – Canadian Merchant Ship Losses of the Second World War, 1939-1945 by Rob Fisher {Revised June 2001}, and for the loss of individual personnel RCN Ship Histories, Convoy Escort Movements, Casualty Lists 1939-1947)
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