Hurricane Dorian disrupts Canada’s “largest naval exercise in decades”

September 9, 2019, by navaltoday

International ships, submarines and aircraft taking part in the Canadian-hosted anti-submarine warfare exercise Cutlass Fury were forced to depart Halifax Harbour to evade Hurricane Dorian.

Cutlass Fury participant, Portuguese frigate NRP D. Francisco de Almeida, underway off the coast of Canada during Hurricane Dorian. Photo: Portuguese Navy

Ships sortied on September 6, shortly after arriving in Canada, while the hurricane hit the country’s east coast on Sunday.

In addition to disrupting the ships’ harbor stay, Hurricane Dorian has also affected a planned fleet review and a ceremonial flypast.

Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) on Monday said that due to the impact of Hurricane Dorian and subsequent clean up, the sail past and fly past scheduled for the day were cancelled.

MARLANT added that all ships were safe and that exercise Cutlass Fury would begin as planned and continue to September 20.

With around 2,800 sailors and airmen from eight nations, Cutlass Fury 2019 is said to be the largest Canadian-led naval exercise to take place off Canada’s east coast in decades.

The eleven-day exercise begins on Monday, bringing together 20 ships and 36 aircraft in the waters off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Training will include air defense, defense against attack from enemy navy vessels, air-to-air combat and defense against submarines.