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| Great White North |
| Royal Canadian Navy evaluating keeping decomissioned launchers for use on Canadian Surface Combatant |
| 2015-11-18 |
| In an article for allNovaScotia.com Journalist Rob Gordon writes that the RCN is interested in keeping the Mk 41 missile launch systems from its Iroquois-class destroyers for possible use on the surface combatant. “All MK 41Vertical Launch Missile systems…will be retained and preserved pending determination whether or not they will be required for the Canadian Surface Combatant,” stated a document, signed by Vice Admiral Mark Norman, commander of the RCN, and obtained by Gordon through the Access to Information law. The vertical launch system consists of 29 missile silos, or bays, fitted to the bow of the ships and flush with the deck, Gordon wrote. Each bay contained a SM2 long range anti-aircraft missile, giving each ship the ability to destroy aircraft and missiles. Defence Watch followed up Gordon’s article and asked about the launchers and SM2 missiles. “The Department of National Defence is in the process of identifying if retention of the launchers is needed, and/or even viable,” Department of National Defence spokesman Evan Koronewski told Defence Watch. “The launcher from HMCS Huron is now in storage, while the other launchers are still in their respective platforms.” HMCS Huron was decommissioned and later sunk in 2007 during live fire training exercises. The other two destroyers, HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Iroquois, were decommissioned and are awaiting disposal. HMCS Athabaskan is still operating. “The SM2 missiles were declared surplus and have been removed from all ships, including HMCS Athabaskan,” added Koronewski. “They are currently in storage pending disposition.” |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #1 Waste not, want knots. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2015-11-18 18:13 |