HMCS Toronto completes operations in the Black Sea as part of Operation REASSURANCE

News Release

September 26, 2014 - Ottawa

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Toronto has completed its 19 day participation in joint NATO operations in the Black Sea and will continue to take part in Operation REASSURANCE by participating in Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR under Standing NATO Maritime Group 2. HMCS Toronto was in the Black Sea from September 6 to 25.

Op REASSURANCE is part of NATO’s assurance measures deployed in the wake of the Putin regime’s ongoing military aggression and interference in Ukraine. HMCS Toronto will now be tasked with locating, tracking, reporting and boarding vessels of interest that are suspected of involvement in or support of terrorist activities in the Mediterranean Sea.

Quick Facts

The maritime training exercises undertaken as part of Operation REASSURANCE were aimed at enhancing maritime security in the Black Sea region.
HMCS Toronto also conducted port visits to enhance diplomatic and defence relations with NATO Allies Romania and Bulgaria.
While in the Black Sea, HMCS Toronto led Task Unit 02 (TU.02) of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). As part of TU.02, both HMCS Toronto and the Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón operated in concert with the Romanian frigate Regele Ferdinand, the American destroyer USS Ross and naval vessels from Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Operation REASSURANCE refers to the military activities undertaken by the CAF to support NATO assurance measures through the provision of military capabilities for training, exercises and assigned NATO tasks. The CAF’s response in support of NATO’s request promotes security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe, and demonstrates Canada's steadfast commitment to our allies in the region.
The Standing NATO Maritime Groups are multinational, integrated maritime forces made up of vessels from various Allied countries. These vessels are permanently available to NATO to perform different tasks ranging from exercises to operational missions. They also help to establish Alliance presence, demonstrate solidarity, conduct routine diplomatic visits to different countries, support partner engagement, and provide a variety of maritime military capabilities to ongoing missions.
HMCS Toronto is a Halifax-class frigate based out of Canadian Fleet Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and has a ship’s company of approximately 250 personnel of all ranks, including a CH-124 Sea King helicopter and air detachment.

Quotations

“As our Navy men and women complete their important operations in the Black Sea with our NATO allies, we thank them for their service. Their laudable contribution to the defence of our allies underscores Canada’s steadfast commitment to promoting security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe in the face of the Putin regime’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.”
The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls and Minister of National Defence

“The excellent work of the officers and crew of HMCS Toronto in the Black Sea with our maritime partners demonstrates some of the capabilities of the Canadian Armed Forces as part of Canada’s contribution to peace and security abroad.”

Lieutenant-General Jonathan Vance, Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command

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Contacts

Johanna Quinney
Press Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: (613) 996-3100

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: (613) 996-2353
Toll-Free: 1 866 377-0811

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HMCS Toronto completes operations in the Black Sea as part of Operation REASSURANCE

News Release

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