Your Navy Today - Volume 5 Issue 3

Your Navy Today

Your Navy Today is a monthly newsletter highlighting your Royal Canadian Navy’s current operations, stories about our sailors and historic naval heroes, new equipment and technology and the top photos and videos. Click here to subscribe to the monthly email.


Operations update

Boatswains from HMCS Yellowknife prepare to deploy on Operation Caribbe.
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Boatswains from HMCS Yellowknife prepare to deploy on Operation Caribbe.

HMC Ships Yellowknife and Saskatoon deploy on anti-narcotics operation

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Yellowknife has recorded the first drug bust of 2022 for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on Operation (Op) Caribbe.

During a patrol in the Eastern Pacific, Yellowknife, along with its attached U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, found approximately 800 kg of cocaine on board a suspect vessel, seizing about 150 kg as evidence and destroying the rest.

HMCS Harry DeWolf departed Halifax on April 4 as part of Op Caribbe.

DND  HMCS Montréal operates with Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 as part of Op Reassurance.
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HMCS Montréal operates with Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 as part of Op Reassurance.

Op Reassurance: Montréal completes Dynamic Manta 22, Halifax deploys to Atlantic

To fulfill Canada’s commitments to NATO, HMC Ships Montréal and Halifax have deployed on Op Reassurance.

As part of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, HMCS Montréal is sailing alongside ships from Italy, Turkey, Greece, Spain and the United Kingdom. From February 21 to March 4, Montréal participated in Exercise Dynamic Manta 22 to enhance interoperability and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Halifax recently completed its preparations for Op Reassurance and deployed to the Atlantic to join NATO Standing Maritime Group 1, joining ships from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

RCN clearance divers prepare to conduct an underwater survey of training mines.
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RCN clearance divers prepare to conduct an underwater survey of training mines.

HMCS Brandon enhances Arctic interoperability alongside US forces

HMCS Brandon recently participated in Exercise Arctic Edge 22, the United States’ premier Arctic exercise designed to practise shore and harbour defence, including mine countermeasures. HMCS Brandon’s participation this year helped strengthen allied skills in the Arctic and interoperability under harsh Northern conditions.

Embarked in Brandon was a mine countermeasures dive team and a three-person seabed intervention systems team from Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific), which practised cold-weather mine-countermeasure activities alongside American units.

Sailors deployed on Op Projection West Africa visit the children of Oshodi Underbridge in Nigeria.
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Sailors deployed on Op Projection West Africa visit the children of Oshodi Underbridge in Nigeria.

RCN ships participate in Op Projection West Africa

HMC Ships Goose Bay and Moncton are continuing their deployment on Op Projection West Africa, promoting maritime stability and security in the Gulf of Guinea region, enhancing relationships with allies and partners.

In March, both ships, a Maritime Operations Centre mentorship team and members from the Naval Tactical Operations Group participated in Exercise Obangame Express 22 and practised boarding, search and seizure techniques with partner nations.

A diver is pulled out of the ice during the first dive of Op Nanook-Nunalivut 22.
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A diver is pulled out of the ice during the first dive of Op Nanook-Nunalivut 22.

Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) conducts ice diving and recovery in the North

A team of divers from Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) (FDU(A)) were part of approximately 220 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who participated in Op Nanook-Nunalivut 22 in Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik, NWT.

From February 17 to 27, the multinational operation enhanced domain awareness in the Arctic and demonstrated the CAF’s ability to rapidly deploy forces to defend North America.

The FDU(A) team led the Dive Task Force operation, conducting ice diving and recovery. They strengthened their interoperability with allies and demonstrated their ability to sustain a dive team in freezing temperatures for extended periods.

The future HMCS Margaret Brooke conducts ice trials in the Labrador Sea.
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The future HMCS Margaret Brooke conducts ice trials in the Labrador Sea.

The future HMCS Margaret Brooke conducts ice trials in the Labrador Sea

To prepare for future deployments, all Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) must demonstrate their ability to operate in icy waters. The future HMCS Margaret Brooke, the second ship in the RCN’s new AOPS fleet, departed Halifax on February 15, sailing approximately 1,800 nautical miles north through the Labrador Sea to the west of Greenland to conduct ice trials.

After successfully completing these trials, Margaret Brooke returned to Halifax on March 18.

Top stories

Do you have a story to tell or know a sailor who does? Send us your story idea.

An instructor at Naval Fleet School (Pacific) in the classroom with students.
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An instructor at Naval Fleet School (Pacific) in the classroom with students.

Navy training system accommodates students with learning disabilities

For Petty Officer 2nd Class (PO2) Daniel Pelletier, receiving a letter from the grateful parents of a student with learning disabilities was unexpected and touching.

Along with his fellow instructors Petty Officer 1st Class David Van Egmond and Master Sailor Joshua Pickering, PO2 Pelletier was thanked by the student’s parents for showing “exceptional leadership and dedication, in particular to the development of future sailors.”

S1 Martha Mbuyi-Kanyinda deployed on Operation Projection West Africa in HMCS Goose Bay.
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S1 Martha Mbuyi-Kanyinda deployed on Operation Projection West Africa in HMCS Goose Bay.

From Kenya to Winnipeg: One sailor’s journey to the RCN

When Sailor 1st Class (S1) Martha Mbuyi-Kanyinda arrived in Winnipeg with her family at the age of nine from Kenya, she was terrified.

Fast forward to today and she is a 23-year-old reservist with HMCS Chippawa, Winnipeg’s Naval Reserve Division, with six years of service in the RCN and many accomplishments to her credit.

HMCS Haida

Watch “The Last Tribal-class Destroyer”

HMCS Haida had a long and distinguished naval career during the Second World War, the Korean Conflict and the Cold War. Watch the incredible journey of how the ceremonial flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy was saved as a National Historic Site.

Into the North

Watch HMCS Harry DeWolf sail “Into the North”

Enjoy this new mini-doc about HMCS Harry DeWolf’s inaugural deployment, circumnavigating North America.

Cmdre Dave Mazur (left) and Cdr Mark O’Donohue (right) congratulate SLt Travis Verbeek on his Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation aboard HMCS Calgary.
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Cmdre Dave Mazur (left) and Cdr Mark O’Donohue (right) congratulate SLt Travis Verbeek on his Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation aboard HMCS Calgary.

Diver commended for saving partner’s life

Sub-Lieutenant (SLt) Travis Verbeek and his diving partner were conducting underwater salvage operations in October 2019 in Esquimalt Harbour, B.C., diving to depths of 15 metres to move underwater welding tables to a new location.

They were separated for approximately 30 seconds when SLt Verbeek found his dive partner face down on the sea floor, completely motionless. His diver training kicked in immediately.

“At that moment my initial reaction was to take positive control of him, assess if he was okay and why he wasn’t moving, and then bring him to the surface safely,” said SLt Verbeek.

Read more news:

Special announcements

2022 Navy Bike Ride: Riding together as One Navy Strong

The 2022 Navy Bike Ride virtual event will take place from June 12 to August 7.

Cyclists of any age and ability from across Canada are invited to register. Riders are asked to complete 28 rides and have the option of joining the Admiral’s Challenge. 

Your rides support the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration of members with physical or mental health illness or injury, and contribute to building family resilience.

Ready to ride? Sign up now!

WRCNS 80th anniversary: Call for stories

With the 80th anniversary of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) approaching on July 31, Canadians are invited to share their stories about a friend or family member who served in the WRCNS. Submissions may be published on the RCN’s website and social media accounts. Please include high resolution, scanned photos if available, as well as your name and contact information.


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