Vanguard Magazine

www.vanguardcanada.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 21 to react to a wide variety of incidents. The class represents a useful new component to our integrated system of systems approach to northern and Arctic sovereignty. We have been working in the Arctic with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) for years, and will continue to do so. We have gained valuable experience working with them annually with ships deployments supporting Op NANOOK, and the Com- manding Officers of the two first AOPS have also spent time sailing with Canadian Coast Guard Ships, leveraging their expe- rience working in this harsh environment. This is a relationship that we will continue to foster, as we increase our capability to operate in the region with the arrival of the Harry DeWolf-class. What this new fleet brings to the table in this regard is impressive - it is designed to be highly capable with a thick and robust hull that will enable it to operate in over one metre of first-year sea ice. This will provide the Royal Canadian Navy with unescorted access to areas of the Arctic that were previ- ously inaccessible. And where they go, ships of the class bring with them considerable space to efficiently transport teams and/or cargo and an ability to deploy both via an impressive array of cranes, small vehicles, boats and landing craft, as well as its abil- ity to accommodate a Cyclone helicopter. They are truly capable warships designed to purpose for RCN employment. Moreover, owing to the versatility which is naturally inherent to a ship designed for both Arctic and offshore missions and tasks, the class will also be capable of par- ticipating in a wide variety of international operations such as anti-smuggling, anti- piracy, and international security and sta- bility. Their outfit and size will also make them uniquely and impressively capable amongst RCN warships to contribute to from-the-sea response to humanitarian as- sistance and disaster relief operations do- mestically and internationally. Q How has the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions impacted this progression? The work of the navy continues apace, and I am proud how our defence team has re- sponded to this challenging environment. The health and safety of our team is our foremost concern and we have adopted safe working practices and flexible working arrangements as much as possible to main- tain momentum. I'm confident that we have made steady progress across our port- folio despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Q The potential of unmanned systems is now being realized across the entire spectrum of maritime operations, par- ticularly in surveillance activities. Would you describe where the RCN ISTAR project is now? The RCN has a long history with remotely operated systems, operating in the air, on the surface, and underwater. On the surface, in support of fleet readi- ness, we have long used uninhabited sur- face vessels systems as targets and are cur- rently using the Hammerhead remotely piloted surface vessels. We are not actively focused on further developments within the surface remotely piloted/autono- mous vessel realm although we are about to conduct some experimentation with an off-board Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) payload aboard a Hammerhead that will test its utility for remote anti-ship missile defence operations. In the underwater domain, we have sig- nificant experience with remotely operated systems, having operated Remotely Oper- ated Vehicles from diving vessels for de- cades. In 2019, the RCN invested in some Remote Environmental Monitoring Units (REMUS 100) to assist with survey work in shallow water. Building on that mo- mentum, the Remote Mine Hunting and Disposal System will be a modular, stand- off naval mine countermeasures capability using Autonomous Undersea Vehicles and designed to provide the full spectrum of naval mine hunting operations and con- tribute to underwater domain awareness. It will complement the already delivered Route Survey System Life Extension sys- tems and allow our sailors to locate under- interview water mines, carry out itemized searches, and obtain bottom feature imagery. In the air it started with deploying the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle from the Halifax- class 2012-14 and more recently flying the AeroVironment CU-175 Puma from the Kingston-class. We are currently working closely with a Qinetiq-led team to provide remotely piloted aircraft services to the Halifax-class frigates using the UMS Skel- dar V-200 rotary platform integrated with an L3 Wescam electro-optical/infrared turret and Leonardo PicoSAR radar. The RCN ISTAR Remotely Piloted Aircraft System project is currently in the Defini- tion phase and making steady progress on the Sustainment Business Case and other important staff analysis that are needed to eventually move into implementation. Q Victoria-class Modernization – as a programme of many individual projects, it has been likened to the recent Halifax- class Modernization (HCM) which gave the frigates a significant upgrade in operational capability to allow them to remain effective until the end of their ser- vice lives. With respect to VCM, what are your key areas of concern in keeping the Victoria-class operationally effective until the end of their service lives in the late 2030s and early 2040s? Victoria-class submarines (VCS) remain of critical value for Canadians. By modern- izing the class, the RCN will enhance the submarines to ensure they are operation- ally relevant against evolving threats and in the future operating environment, while avoiding the significant costs and technical challenges of a new platform and infrastruc- ture. However, submarines are some of the most complex pieces of machinery in the world. As such, they require specialized supply chains, maintenance facilities, and a highly trained work force. Since acquiring the Victoria-class submarines, Canada has made significant progress in developing the systems and skills needed to generate and maintain a modern submarine fleet. This regular, cyclical maintenance of submarines will continue in parallel to Victoria-class Modernization into the mid-2030s. Victoria-class Modernization will focus primarily on enhancing three distinct ca- pabilities: • Improving the habitability and deploy- ment conditions onboard the Victoria- class submarines for RCN submariners; • Positioning the Victoria-class subma- rines to contribute meaningfully to CAF

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