NAC News - Edition K493/J493 - Naval Association of Canada

NAC News – Edition K493/J493

Your weekly national and international naval news for the week of December 23rd, 2022

Christmas Edition: K493 HMCS Bowmanville (WWII Castle Class corvette) and J493 HMCS Spruce Lake (Lake Class minesweeper)

Quote – “Air cover was essential for the protection of Allied shipping against submarine attacks, and the RCAF contributed heavily to that task, since Canada’s (and Newfoundland’s) geographic proximity to the key areas of the northwest Atlantic placed it in the forefront of the battle.” W.A.B. Douglas, The Creation of a National Air Force, The Official History of the Royal Canadian Air Force Volume II, University of Toronto Press in co-operation with DND… 1986, page 465.

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 David Soule 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

The 2023 Centennial of the Naval Reserves is fast approaching. You can find information on activities planned in all the NRDs on the UNTDA website along with the programme and on-line registration for a major conference and celebration organized by the UNTD in Victoria 9-12 May 2023. Cross Canada listing of Events taking place during the Centennial of the Canadian Naval Reserve in 2023 (Editor – At the last UNTDA AGM the members approval a new membership structure that marks a turning point in the evolution of the UNTDA. The decision was formalized to change from an association that was built around the UNTD programme from 1943 to 1968 to a new national, more diverse, and inclusive Naval Reserve association with several important decisions: incorporation of the UNTDA from an unincorporated voluntary association to a Canada Non-profit Corporation; approval of their first by-laws; increased their Board of Directors to a maximum of 20; and perhaps most significantly the expansion of their membership base to welcome all naval reservists, active and retired, of all ranks. UNTD Association of Canada

18 January 2023 13:00 – 15:00 (Halifax Time) RUSI-NS presents Distinguished Speaker Scott Hatcher CCG speaking about the CCG Autonomous Systems and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Program. To register email RUSINovaScotia@gmail.com. As the subject line for your registration email, put: RUSI(NS) Distinguished Speaker 18 January 2023 Registration. In addition to your name, please provide your organization (agency/directorate, unit, association, or company). The event will be done by Zoom. Instructions will be emailed to registrants by end Monday, 16 January.

28 February 2023 ShipTech Forum 2023 8:00 – 18:00 (Ottawa time) The ShipTech Forum is a hybrid conference with virtual access too. It is intended to showcase emerging technologies, address a range of marine and shipbuilding issues as well as ship repair and the advantages they provide for growth and export. To register visit vanguardcanada.com/shiptech-forum-registration/ All serving Naval & Public sector Personnel can register for Free!

2022 NAC Endowment Fund Campaign is now underway! Please consider a donation to our Fund as it supports a wide range of maritime related activities. Check out the donation form at this webpage.

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THIS WEEK’S SIGNIFICANT ARTICLES

Pacifist Japan unveils biggest military build-up since World War Two and Japan unveils biggest military build-up since World War II | DW News (Editor – 4:11 min video)

CGAI: Defence Deconstructed: Defence and Security in Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (Editor – 43:59 min podcast)

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CANADA

Canada extends continental shelf claim, increasing overlaps with Russia in Arctic

Lead Contamination the Latest Concern on Canada’s Arctic Patrol Ships

Largest ever opium seizure by border agency, worth estimated $50M, made at Port of Vancouver

Ottawa to spend $1.24 billion to extend life of search-and-rescue chopper fleet (Editor – another vital Fleet that everyone loves, but doesn’t want to pay for)

Defence Minister Anand considering multi-billion dollar purchase of U.S. built surveillance aircraft

Ottawa approves purchase of 16 F-35 jets worth $7B: sources

Canadian navy lieutenant fined, reprimanded for vaping aboard ship

Reconciliation in the Canadian marine shipping industry (part iii): a love affair with the sea

Demystifying maritime governance

Chairperson, Military Grievances External Review Committee (Editor – somewhat unique job posting) and Vice-Chairperson, Military Grievances External Review Committee

Analysis of Changing Levels of Ice Strengthening (Ice Class) among Vessels Operating in the Canadian Arctic over the Past 30 Years

Air force officers reinstated after reprimand over offensive pilot call sign

Veterans Affairs agent at centre of assisted dying cases ‘no longer employed’ (Editor – videos included)

Former Cadets major faces sex assault charges after military police re-examined a closed case

Gander air force base ends relationships with faith-based charities, including Salvation Army (Editor – not sure what to make of this)

Welcoming the new PSHCP

Trident: 12 December 2022, Volume 56, Issue 25 and Fourth AOPS in the water

Action Stations Fall 2022 has been revised.

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USA & AMERICAS

USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Dec. 19, 2022

Congressional Appropriators Reach $1.7T Omnibus Deal; Defense Bill Funds 11 Battle Force Ships and Navy Issues General Dynamics Electric Boat $5.1B Contract Mod for Columbia-Class Submarine Program

Bipartisan Coast Guard, MARAD Reauthorization Bills Set to Pass as Part of NDAA

Flight III Arleigh Burke Destroyer Jack H. Lucas Underway for the First Time

USCGC Campbell Returns to Homeport Following 60-day Eastern Pacific Patrol and US seizes enough fentanyl in 2022 to kill every American (Editor – OMG!?)

U.S. Coast Guard Offloads Six Tonnes of Cocaine in Port Everglades

Royal Navy ship completes 2022 deployment in the Caribbean

Delivery Of First Polar Security Cutter May Slip Into 2027, Coast Guard Warns and Report to Congress on Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter

SECNAV Del Toro Names Future Survey Ship After Titanic Discoverer Robert Ballard

Life Inside $13 Billion Aircraft Carrier Hangar in Middle of the Ocean (Editor – 15:03 min video)

USS Constellation back in shipshape condition after hull repairs

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INDO-PACIFIC

CIMSEC: Canada’s Recent Naval Deployments and Power Projection Across the Pacific and Beyond (Editor – useful summary)

Thailand warship capsizes leaving 31 sailors missing (Editor – 31 sec video included) then Royal Thai Navy Recovers Six Deceased Sailors From Lost Corvette plus Royal Thai Navy May Try to Salvage the Wreck of HMTS Sukhothai

AUSMIN: the submarine conundrum and Leaders discuss future of nuclear-powered subs

India v China: Is becoming the most populous country a boon or curse? (Editor – not a naval story but a change that could have wide ranging implications. See next 4 articles.)

Decks ‘Clear’ for INS Vikrant-Type Carrier

PLAN amphibious assault ships make new progress and Training highlights of amphibious assault ship Anhui (Editor – eye candy in two short videos)

Indigenous stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Mormugao, second warship of P15B class, commissioned by Raksha Mantri in Mumbai

India receives its fifth Scorpene class submarine INS Vagir but Is Indian Navy’s submarine development losing edge over Pakistan?

India Launches First ASW SWC Ship “Arnala”

Indian Navy launches two diving support vessels Nistar and Nipun

RFP for Leasing of One Vessel for Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel Mothership and Submarine Support Ship

French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to visit Jordania and India

U.S. Naval Forces and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Conduct Joint Mine Warfare Exercise

China’s ‘most powerful’ carrier group enters West Pacific for drills amid Japan’s breakaway from defense-only principle and JMSDF Monitors Liaoning CSG Passage

China, Russia to hold joint naval drill in East China Sea, displaying capability amid US, Japanese provocations and PLA Navy’s carrier Liaoning ramps up aircraft sortie training in West Pacific

USS Ronald Reagan returns to Yokosuka following 7th Fleet deployment and USS Shoup Joins CTF 71 in Yokosuka

Japan to Approve Sub-Launched Long-Range Missile Development: Report

Is China floating military airships over South China Sea?

AFP: Chinese vessel tails PH supply boat to Ayungin Shoal

Over 100 Rohingya stranded off India’s coast, many feared dead

Chinese Shupang class survey ship spotted in Japanese territorial waters and China and Vietnam Pick Up Island-Building Activity in S. China Sea and of course U.S. and China Trade Barbs Over South China Sea

US Diego Garcia base in balance

Philippines, Indonesia to Heighten Border Security Cooperation

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EUROPE

Ukraine:

Sudden Increase In Russian Navy Activity In Black Sea

Economist: Ukraine war: what will winter bring? (Editor – 6:02 min video)

In historic speech to U.S. Congress, Zelenskyy warns stakes of war go beyond Ukraine’s borders (Editor – 4 videos included)

Russia Invests in Volga-Don Canal as Trade With Iran Booms

General:

Report: No Conclusive Evidence for Identity of Nord Stream Saboteur

France’s New Submarine Suffren Escorts CSG For The First Time

Rapturous welcome in Plymouth for Royal Navy warship as four-year mission ends

Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier to Leave Drydock Soon

Admiralty Shipyard Launches 3rd Lada-Class Submarine Velikie Luki (Editor – nice propeller)

Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control due to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2023

Russia launches serial deliveries of Tsirkon hypersonic missiles to Naval Forces — Shoigu

Saab To Modernize Swedish Mine Countermeasures Vessels

Swedish Navy Takes Delivery of New Submarine-Hunting Torpedoes

Leonardo Presents Its New OTO Marlin 40 Naval Defence System

FGS Lubeck Decommissioned After 32 Years of Service

German Cruiseship Yard Werften Will Start Building Submarines

HMS Sultan survives closure as campaign to retain Royal Navy base sees success

CIMSEC: Sea Control 398 – transnational development of icebreakers with Dr. Aaro Sahari and Dr. Saara Matala (Editor – 30:58 min podcast)

Russian oil: a different passage to India

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MIDDLE EAST

Fincantieri Delivers 3rd Al Zubarah-Class Corvette “Al Khor” To Qatar

Saudi Arabia Invests $2.4 Billion in Key Dubai Ports

Dozens of Ships Stuck Off Iran as Payment Snags Bite – Sources

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GLOBAL INTERESTS

Study: Oil Slicks Cover an Ocean Area Twice the Size of Turkey

When Fishing Boats Go Dark, They’re Often Committing Crimes – We Mapped Where It Happens

Here’s Why 32,000+ Abandoned & Orphaned Offshore Wells Litter the Outer Continental Shelf (Editor – simply not sustainable)

Egypt Draws Maritime Border, Ignites Tensions Among Regional Gas Alliances

Pacific Ocean’s Plastics Cleanup Hindered By Trade Barriers

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SCUTTLEBUTT

Accidentally Backing Into a Mine To Start the Largest Navy Battle Since WW2 (Editor – Heck of a story. The CO, Capt. (USN) Paul X. Rinn while on exchange in Canada served from 1976 through 1979 as Operations Officer of the 1^st Canadian Destroyer Squadron. He returned years later to Canada, and I attended his presentation at the Warfare Centre in Halifax about the mining of the Samuel B. Roberts. Sadly, the Captain passed 3 August 2022.)

Insider Reveals Ford Class Aircraft Carrier Secrets (Editor – from the horse’s mouth a intriguing 16:59 min video)

Mariner’s Mirror: Victory at Sea in WW2: Naval Power and the Transformation of the Global Order 1939-45 (Editor – 26 min podcast)

A TUNA SUB for you to enjoy! History & walkthrough of the U.S.S. Albacore submarine, (Editor – goofy start but interesting follow on)

The Greatest Naval Speedrun in History (Editor – 12:16 min video)

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THIS WEEK IN RCN/MARITIME HISTORY

17 December 1944 HMCS MONTREAL (frigate) rescues survivors of U-Boat 1209 wrecked on Wolf Rock southwest of Land’s End.

19 December 1945 The Government of Canada approves in principle the formation of a naval air branch.

20 December 1941 HMCS Adversus, ex-RCMP patrol ship, while on patrol was lost at sea when caught in a blizzard and run aground on McNutts Island near Shelburne, NS. All 16 crew survived.

20 December 1943 HMCS Prince David is re-commissioned as a Landing Ship Infantry (Medium).

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)