Vanguard Magazine

S SIT REP The Royal Canadian Navy Receives Fourth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel On August 31st, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) welcomed its fourth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV), His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) William Hall, into its fleet. "Today, we celebrate the next important milestone for the National Shipbuilding Strategy and the Royal Canadian Navy with the arrival of our fourth new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMCS William Hall. This new asset to Canada's fleet has been made possible by the vital work of our ship- builders and the thousands of Canadians that have contrib- uted to the construction of this new ship. We will continue to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with the ships needed to protect our country, while creating good jobs for Canadians," said the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence. 10 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023 www.vanguardcanada.com HMCS William Hall, Canada's Fourth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) in the new DeWolf Class is Delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy. "The delivery of HMCS William Hall today, a full two months ahead of schedule, marks our most efficient production effort to date," said Dirk Lesko, President, Irving Shipbuilding. "The ship- to-ship improvement we are seeing is a testament to the devel- oping workforce we have here in Halifax, which is truly solidify- ing the Canadian shipbuilding industrial base needed to deliver on the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) for many years to come," continued Mr. Lesko. The Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, tai- lored to assert and safeguard Arctic sovereignty, represents a substantial enhancement of the Canadian Armed Forces' (CAF) capabilities and presence in the Arctic region. Equipped with ample storage capacity for transporting cargo, accommodating small vehicles, and deploying boats, the AOPV brings versatility and vital support to a broad spectrum of domestic CAF opera- tions. Moreover, it possesses the capacity to contribute to global peace and security in collaboration with our allies and partners. "Today's delivery of our fourth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMCS William Hall, brings the Royal Canadian Navy ever closer to achieving our full fleet of six modern, ice-capable ships. Each of the AOPV represents an advanced capability and skillset for the Navy, and our allies, and we are proud that this ship will soon be officially welcomed into the RCN Fleet," explained Vice- Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. Following the delivery of HMCS William Hall to the RCN, the upcoming stages will entail conducting sea trials, assessing performance in both warm and cold weather conditions, and undertaking various post-delivery evaluation tasks. The formal commissioning ceremony for HMCS William Hall is scheduled for next year, following the completion of these trials. Continued on page 12

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