Canadian frigate reaches Australia on Western Pacific deployment

Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Vancouver arrived in Brisbane, Australia on November 2 as part of her Westploy 16 deployment.

HMCS Vancouver’s deployment is aimed at strengthening ties between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the navies of Asia-Pacific countries.

Since departing its home port of Esquimalt, British Columbia, in June, HMCS Vancouver has operated throughout the Pacific region, including participation in RIMPAC and Kakadu.

This deployment allows HMCS Vancouver, along with an embarked CH-124 Sea King helicopter and air detachment, to test and evolve the warfighting capabilities of the Halifax-Class warships after upgrades to equipment that were made as part of the Halifax-Class Modernization/Frigate Life Extension project.

The frigate has so far visited Singapore and Vietnam during Westploy 16.