Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
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j jOINT SUPPORT SHIP 20 APRIL/MAY 2014 www.vanguardcanada.com from a total capacity of 8,900, she is re- markably stable. Bonn still had that 'new car feel and smell', which is exhilarating in itself, but it also has a decidedly different look for Canadians accustomed to the distinctive curved weather deck of the Protecteur- class, for which we affectionately called them the 'Banana Boats'. Bonn's foredeck is comparatively very fl at, a characteris- tic needed to place containers before the main superstructure. This sits on the after third of the hull and has the appearance of towering above the main deck. To shelter the cargo deck, a large and square struc- ture has been placed just aft of the fo'csle, which seems just as angular and box-like as the after part of the superstructure. These physical differences will look less foreign once painted in Canadian naval co- lours but Kingston Heights and Chateau- guay, as they will be christened once built, will be unmistakable at sea, even from a great distance, because of their overall height, dual cargo cranes, and shape of the superstructure. Offi cially, Bonn is the third ship of the Type 702 Berlin-class. However, the pre- sentation made during the second-day's seminar was focused on the many signifi - cant differences between Bonn and her two sisters, Berlin and Fankfurt-am-Mein. The primary one relates to the concept of employment that required signifi cant Ken Hansen is an adjunct professor of graduate studies with the Department of Political Science at Dalhousie University and a member of the Science Advisory Committee with the Institute for Ocean Research Enterprise in Halifax. German engineering meets Canadian requirements iNSide Bonn: Photos: Copyright TKMS Canada, Sabine Burger, Alexander Schwarz i had a chance to visit the Federal Ger- man Navy's combat support ship Bonn in February while she was in Halifax for a seven-day visit. The in- vitation was to the usual fi rst-night recep- tion but it also included a 'seminar and tour' on the next day. As she is the larg- est and newest ship in the German navy and Canada has selected the Berlin-class as the replacement for the Protecteur-class replenishment ships, the opportunity to snoop around was a welcome one. What I didn't anticipate was the very high-level diplomatic and industrial contingent that was also part of the visit. The presence at the reception of the German Ambassador to Canada, Werner Wnendt, marked this as an unusual event. Very high-profi le representatives from German industrial companies in Canada were also participating, including Thys- senKrupp AG, Rheinmetall Canada and Atlas Marine Systems, plus several others. During the opening remarks by the cap- tain, Fregattenkapitan Bjorn Laue, and the ambassador, the strong strategic and cultural connections between Canada and Germany were lauded and the newness of Bonn to the German navy was empha- sised. Indeed, Bonn was commissioned into service in September 2013 and this is her fi rst major deployment outside of home waters. Still under trials, the immediate purpose of the trip was to test Bonn's handling and stability in heavy weather. This was done in very stormy seas between Iceland and Newfoundland, after a short visit to Reyk- javik. Ship's offi cers told me that Bonn handled very well and that with as little as 1,000 cubic metres of fuel in the tanks,