NAC News – Edition 660 HMCS Acadia
Your weekly national and international naval news for the week of March 13, 2026
Edition 660 HMCS Acadia Quote: “A war between the United States and China could mark the first time that hypersonic weapons are used against ships in combat, Shugart said. It could also involve other firsts in modern warfare, including combat between submerged submarines using homing torpedoes and peer-on-peer adversaries using aircraft carriers with jets, spy satellites, and artificial intelligence against each other. “There are countless technologies and operational concepts that have never actually been deployed in combat in a peer-on-peer fight,” Shugart told Task & Purpose. “So, the one thing we can be assured of is that there are going to be surprises on both sides.” ” As naval combat evolves, there will be few ‘safe havens’ in a future war, Jeff Schogol, 11 February 2026
Rod Hughes: Editor NAC News (Comments welcome to help improve this service.) The content of this bulletin includes articles from entities not subject to the Official Languages Act. Consequently, these articles may be provided by the institution in only one official language, including the links, and we do not have the copyright to modify or translate them. Links to keep in touch with the NAC and RCN can be found at the bottom of this email. Contact naccoordinator@navalassoc.ca if you wish someone to be added to the NAC News email distribution. (Influencer, or good candidates to become a NAC member – note, the first year’s NAC/Branch membership dues are waived)
NOTICES
Editor – NAC regalia has been restocked with blazer badges at $30 and neckties at $50. Please email Nora at NACcoordinator@navalassoc.ca to request items and payment options. S+H is included and items will be mailed via Canada Post. Thank you for wearing NAC items with pride!
23 March 2026 Take the 2026–2027 Advocacy Survey The Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) looks toward the 2026–2027 period, their priority remains clear: to serve as a strong, unified voice that ensures members of the CAF have the resources, support, and capabilities they need to carry out the missions entrusted to them. To do this effectively, CDA (of which NAC is a member) needs to hear directly from you. The information gathered through this survey will be instrumental in developing our upcoming advocacy strategy. Your insights ensure that CDA’s efforts accurately reflect the needs and priorities of the entire defence community.
23 March 2026 NRAC AGM 7 pm Montreal time, hosted by HMCS Donnacona.The guest speaker is Rear-Admiral Mike Hopper, the Chief of Reserves. The Admiral is also on the Canadian Forces Liaison Council.
23 March 2026 The Story of Canadian Corvettes 10:30-11:30 am Great Lakes Museum, 55 Ontario St., Kingston, ON. $6 per person (includes Museum Admission)
21 – 22 April 2026 ABCMI & COAST Defence and Security Innovation Forum, Vancouver Convention Centre.
NEW 28 April 2026 Vanguard Simulation & Training Forum, National Arts Centre1 Elgin Street, Ottawa. Not able to attend in person – all speaker sessions will be live streamed to facilitate virtual participation. Super Early Bird open now.
29-30 April 2026 Naval Association of Canada Defence and Maritime Security Conference themed “Canada in Alliance: Maritime Security in a Changing World” & Battle of the Atlantic (BOA) Gala, the Halifax Hotel, Halifax. The symposium will be co-hosted by NAC and the Canadian Maritime Security Network. The symposium theme “Canada in Alliance & Conflict: The Will of a Nation.” A reception will be held the evening of 29 April ahead of the symposium. The evening of 30 April NS NAC will host the National BOA Gala at the same venue. Details to follow in due course but mark your calendars and hold that date!
12 -14 May 2026 Mari-Tech 2026 ABCMI Co-hosting with CIMaRE & SNAME Venue: Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas Street’ Victoria, BC
13-15 May 2026 NIBC 2026 Conference – Maritime Arctic Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour hotel, Victoria BC. (Editor – NAC-VI helps financially sponsor this event)
15 May 2026 11:00 am at Sackville Landing. The CNMT has indicated that to mark the 85th anniversary of the launch of HMCS Sackville (English) & (Française) that she will be ceremonially re-commissioning back into the RCN. For CNMT members you are invited to participate as members of the Re-Commissioning Crew with me J)
25-27 June 2026 RCN Historical Conference – CFB Esquimalt, venue possibly HMCS Venture. Details TBP.
13-16 July, 2026, Monday-Tuesday, Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS) St. John’s Convention Centre, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Register early and receive 20% off conference passes. Offer available until April 1, 2026
THIS WEEK’S SIGNIFICANT ARTICLE
US eases Russia oil sanctions as Iran war pushes up energy prices (Editor – Law of unintended consequences applies to many issues stemming from the Iran-U.S. war)
IEA Warns: Hormuz Crisis Triggering Largest Oil Supply Disruption in History
‘There’s no hiding place on a ship’: The sailors stranded near Iran
CANADA
US Navy conducts under-ice Arctic exercise with Royal Navy submariners embarked
Hanwha Ocean forms new Canadian partnerships tied to patrol submarine program
Canada restricts drug boat intel from U.S. navy’s Caribbean airstrike operation with His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife concludes sail on Operation CARIBBE & Le navire canadien de Sa Majesté Yellowknife termine sa mission dans le cadre de l’opération CARIBBE
RCN: Our Navy Today (Editor – amongst all the great articles the Map of RCN Operations and Exercises (Click to expand) is handy for the various Op names)
CGAI: Unpacking the Canadian Joint Forces Command (Editor- 34:47 min podcast)
Vanguard: Icebreakers, NSS 2.0 and Exporting Canadian Ship Design (Editor – 27:59 min podcast)
Advancing the Royal Canadian Navy’s Future Fleet with New Naval Large Tugs & La future flotte de la Marine royale canadienne renforcée grâce à de nouveaux gros remorqueurs navals and a pic Canadian Navy enriches fleet with new naval large tug
Minister Sidhu welcomes $39 million Canadian contract with Portuguese Air Force to modernize aircraft & Le ministre Sidhu se réjouit de la signature d’un contrat de 39 millions de dollars entre le Canada et la Force aérienne portugaise pour la modernisation d’avions
Canadian Coast Guard captain fired for ‘willfully’ ignoring distress call: labour board
Coast guard eyes expansion to Greater Victoria bases
Canada commits nearly $1B to drone and airborne defence research
Pieces of $5.1 billion LNG project in Canada keep falling into place
Legal dispute clouds Prince Rupert propane export terminal
Submissions to the CNMT Essay Competition (Editor – Essay Competition details)
Canadian military personnel identified on white supremacist dating site
RCL: From the archives: S.R.D.
Lookout: 5 March 2026, Volume 71, Issue 5 (English) & (Française) (Editor – if you are holding a print copy of this newspaper, you are reading one of the last editions of the Lookout that will roll off a traditional press. Effective April 6, 2026, the Lookout Navy News will transition to a predominantly digital publication from its past paper format.)
Trident: Monday 9 March 2026 Volume 60, Issue 05 (Bilingue) (Editor – note article Government announces expansion of Naval Large Tug contract as CFAV Canso welcomed to Halifax. See articles above in Canada section)
NAC Naval Affairs: Bibliography Naval Strategy (Editor – NAC Naval Affairs Papers, Briefing Notes, Niobe Papers, and much more. Please share with people you think may benefit from the knowledge, after all, that’s what your naval affairs programme is all about; enlightening Canadians about maritime affairs and the need for the RCN.
USA & AMERICAS
USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: March 9, 2026
U.S. to Release 172 Million SPR Barrels as New Tanker Attacks Drive Oil Higher
SOUTHCOM Strike on Suspected Drug Boat Kills 6
CNO: New Surface Ship Classes Reflect US Navy’s New Force Structure and Global Output Needs
Coast Guard cutter Munro returns to California home after record-breaking 11-Ton cocaine seizure
USS Nimitz Begins Last Cruise Ahead of Decommissioning
Trump’s Greenland Hospital Ship Now Sailing Up West Coast After Panama Canal Transit
NASSCO Christens Final Expeditionary Sea Base Ship for U.S. Navy
Spectacular images reveal unique sea creatures and corals off Caribbean islands
INDO-PACIFIC
Pacific Ocean and adjoining seas:
Australia complains to China after encounter between military helicopters over Yellow Sea
Two Iranian Boxships Under Way With Suspected Rocket Fuel Cargoes (Editor – A boarding is likely in this ship’s near future!)
North Korean Destroyer Tests Strategic Cruise Missile
The Abandoned Islands America Just Spent $10 Billion to Wake Up (Editor – amazing summary in a 11:32 min video)
Japan Commissions Fifth Taigei-class Submarine
Chinese Navy’s New Type 055 Destroyers Join Taiwan-focused Command
USS Mustin to forward-deploy to Japan
DRDO, Indian Navy Successfully Test Indigenous Air Droppable Container From P-8I Aircraft
Australian Hunter-class frigates gain direct link to US Aegis missile defense system
Japan Commissions Fourth Hibiki-class Auxiliary Ocean Surveillance Ship
Tokyo Prepared To Release Oil Reserve Amid Iran Crisis
ABS and HD Hyundai Launch Nuclear-Powered Mega Containership Study
Australia orders 40 additional Bluebottle USVs with Australia steps up reliance on uncrewed surface vessels
Indian Ocean and adjoining seas:
India offered sanctuary to Iranian ship three days before US sank it
New Details: How U.S. Navy Sub USS Charlotte Sank Iranian Frigate IRIS Dena With Two MK-48 Torpedoes
US sinking of Iranian warship near Sri Lanka sparks wider concern; domestic criticism mounts in India over government’s silence and US sinking of Iranian navy ship stirs controversy in Australia, India that said US says Iran’s frigate sunk by submarine was legitimate target, rejects claim it was unarmed with Sinking Of IRIS Dena: Legally Tenable, But Ethically Not – OpEd
Sri Lanka Takes Charge of Iranian Naval Auxiliary Ship IRINS Bushehr
TKMS, VEM Technologies Partner to Produce Torpedoes in India
EUROPE
Black and Caspian Seas:
Western plans for nuclear weapons for Kiev ‘aggressive, stupid’ — Russian MFA
Ukraine Intensifies Strikes on Russian Naval Assets Across Black Sea Region
Russia’s deportation of Ukrainian children amounts to crime against humanity, UN says (Editor – not a maritime article, but an indication of what’s at stake for the Ukraine)
Baltic Sea:
Sweden Boards Suspected ‘Stateless’ Cargo Ship in Baltic Sea then Sweden Arrests Crewmember After Boarding and Detaining Stateless Cargo Ship
Russia Using Mercenaries, Intel Operatives to Guard ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tankers
Mediterranean Sea:
‘Arctic Metagaz’ LNG Tanker Still Afloat, Malta Warns Ships to Keep Clear
UK aircraft carrier given five days to be ready to deploy then Trump accuses Starmer of seeking to ‘join wars after we’ve already won’ and says UK aircraft carriers not needed
RFA Lyme Bay made ready for possible deployment to Eastern Mediterranean
Royal Navy Sends Missile Destroyer HMS Dragon to Eastern Mediterranean
France’s Macron Orders Major Naval Deployment to Middle East and Dutch air-defence frigate joins French carrier strike group in eastern Mediterranean
NATO concludes major submarine warfare exercise with French Navy FREMM Frigate wins again U.S. Navy’s Hook ‘Em Award
General:
And So It Begins: Iran’s Terror Proxies Emerge From the Shadows
Russia warns of missile firings north of Norway as NATO begins Cold Response exercise
Minister McEntee Proposes New Legal Powers for the Naval Service
Royal Navy’s last Gulf minehunter HMS Middleton has returned to UK
EU Buys 100% of Russian Arctic LNG Just 9 Months Before Planned Gas Ban with 21 Russian Arctic LNG cargoes come to EU ports
MIDDLE EAST
General:
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine discuss timeline of Iran strikes (Editor – 2:06 min video) however When you do the Iranian drone math, the U.S. has a big problem (Editor – CBC News 5:22 min video)
US strike sets Iranian drone carrier ablaze; 30+ ships targeted so far
Tanker Burns in Arabian Gulf After Suspected Strike
Explosive Sea Drones Emerge as New Threat to Tankers in Gulf Attacks while another ancient weapon Iran may have laid sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Here’s what that could mean for the war while US strikes minelaying ships in Iran after warning of ‘intense’ day of bombing (Editor – includes two short videos)
How Trump’s War With Iran Could Have Already Cost Over $1 Billion (Editor – staggering cost explained in a 2:24 min video)
Why the Navy’s Secret Weapon May Have Already Fired in Iran (Editor – great explanation in a 18:42 min video. I trust the Fraser Class has spare power capacity)
When the Underwriters Blinked: What the Hormuz Insurance Crisis Really Means then Washington Moves to Break Hormuz Shipping Paralysis With $20B Maritime Insurance Plan
Four Seafarers Killed in Hormuz Attack, IMO Chief Warns of Growing Risk to Crews and incredibly Trump Tells Ships to ‘Show Some Guts’ in Hormuz as Seafarer Death Toll Rises
Operation Epic Escort with Behind Closed Doors, U.S. Navy Says Hormuz Escorts Are Too Dangerous—for Now
Gulf Ship Attacks Show No Pattern of Western Targeting as Strikes Spread Beyond Hormuz
GPS jamming: The invisible battle in the Middle East
Iranian Bomb Boat Targeted Sonangol Tanker off Kuwait
Iranian Shadow Fleet and Greek Affiliated Ships Lead Strait of Hormuz Transits
Report: Russia Providing Iran Targeting Data on U.S. Warships in Middle East
Iran war cost will be passed to consumers, shipping giant boss tells BBC
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden:
Why The Third Carrier Is The One Iran Fears Most (Editor – game changing in a 18:27 min video) USS Gerald R. Ford Now in the Red Sea, USS George H.W. Bush Wraps Pre-Deployment Exercises then USS George HW Bush to deploy to Mediterranean, become third aircraft carrier in region
Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford Suffers Fire, At Least 2 Sailors Injured
GLOBAL INTERESTS
Global airline industry crashing, after just one week of war on Iran (Editor – not a maritime story but one with huge implications in a 6:00 min video)
Coast Guard Icebreaker USCGC Polar Star Completes Antarctic Mission
This iceberg was once the biggest in the world. Now it has just weeks left
EDGE Announces Launch of First-of-Class Corvette for the Angolan Navy
Container Ship Order Book Hits New Record High
SCUTTLEBUTT
Decommissioned warships sunk to become artificial reefs off coast of B.C. | From the Archives (Editor – note cameo of NAC President in a 12:08 min video)
Mariana Trench: What They Found In The Deepest Place On Earth (Editor – 18:11 min video)
Why Ships Spend Most of Their Time Doing Absolutely Nothing (Editor – 9:25 min video)
THIS WEEK IN RCN/MARITIME HISTORY
14 Mar 1923 Lt Frank Meade appointed C.O. of English Half Company in Montreal, the first RCNVR unit appointment: also A/Lt Alexandre Brodeur for the French Half Company, and on 15 Mar. Lt R.H. Yeates for the Hamilton Half Company. During 1923 & ’24, 11 Units had C.O.’s appointed, although it took a while to establish the actual units in some cases.
14 March 1942 – SS Sarniadoc (Paterson Steamships Ltd, Fort William, Ontario), a Great Lakes ore carrier departed Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana) on 9 March with a cargo of high value bauxite to be used in aluminum production for various weapons systems. She briefly stopped in Port of Spain, Trinidad for fuel and provisions. On 11 March, the ship continued to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands with her cargo of bauxite. She would be refueling in St. Thomas and continuing to a North American port. The U-161 log entry for 13 March records the first sighting of the Sarniadoc which was on a northern course at 6 knots. The surfaced U-boat then maneuvered ahead for a night attack. Four hours later with the target at range 1000 meters, the surfaced U-161 fired a single torpedo which “hit just before the aft smokestack, high water column with small fiery glow, apparently a boiler explosion…the tanker sank immediately after the hit. No lifeboats.” The master and 20 crew members went down with their ship, approximately 318 nautical miles due south of St Thomas.
16 March 1941 – SS J.B. White (Atlantic Transportation Company Ltd, Montreal), with a cargo of 2500 tons of steel and 4500 tons of newsprint, was one of 41 ships in the slow convoy HX-112, on route from Halifax to Liverpool. On the night of 15/16 March 1941 and about 215 nautical miles SE of Iceland, the convoy came under an attack by five U-boats. However, U-99, was the only U-boat to succeed in sinking any of the ships. U-99 sank the SS Venetia, Motor Tanker Ferm, Motor Tanker Beduin, MV Korshamn and the SS J.B. White. Two crew members from the J.B. White were killed. The 38 survivors were rescued by HMS Walker. The next day, on 17 March, HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc disabled and brought the U-99 to the surface. 39 of the crew surrendered and became POWs. The engineering officer and two of his men lost their lives when opening valves to scuttle their boat.
17 March 1945 HMCS Guysborough, a Bangor-class minesweeper, was sailing alone in the Bay of Biscay off Ushant when she was hit with an acoustic torpedo from U-868. It was early evening when she was hit, but Guysborough did not sink immediately and a second torpedo in the late afternoon sent Guysborough to the bottom. Two crew members were killed instantly in the explosions, the remaining crew abandoned ship onto five Carley floats because the ship’s motor cutter and the whaler were unusable. The survivors lashed four floats together and this became a temporary raft for 48 men. The fifth Carley float was overcrowded and drifted away. Guysborough was able to send a distress signal, but it took 19 hours for the frigate, HMS Inglis to arrive. In total, 49 men died of injuries or from exposure – 36 on the overcrowded raft. Two RCNVR sailors were recognized posthumously for their actions with Mentioned in Dispatches.
19 March 1941 Lt R.J.C. Pringle, RCNVR, appointed Captain of HMCS Suderöy V, the first RCNVR officer in command of an HMC Ship, a requisitioned Norwegian trawler.
20 March 1943 HMS Griffin commissioned into RCN as HMCS Griffin; 3 weeks later, renamed HMCS Ottawa; second of four now so named.
20 March 1945 HMCS New Glasgow commanded by LCDR Ross M. Hanbury, RCNVR was rammed by accident by U-1003 while snorkelling. The boat severely damaged her snort and conning tower, and part of New Glasgow’s hull plating and her port propeller. U-1003 limped seaward, but by the next morning of 21March had to abandoned and the crew took to the life rafts, where they were found the next day.
21 March 1948 RCN’s aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent commissioned in Halifax NS. Known affectionately as “Maggie,” she was designed for anti-submarine warfare and patrol, replacing HMCS Warrior. A Majestic-class light aircraft carrier that served in the RCN from 1948 to 1957, operating as a key, versatile component of Canada’s post-war naval forces. She was famously used as a troop transport during the 1956 Suez Crisis before being replaced by HMCS Bonaventure.
Significant RCN Dates – If you notice any omissions or errors please inform me. Pointing out any more modern significant dates is encouraged. 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. Recently “Guardians of the North” written by NAC members Rich Gimblett & Karl Gagnon. 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) Last and far from least Gary Weir’s For Prosperity’s Sake RCN historical project site.
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