HMCS Victoria undergoes weapon system trials*

The Canadian Navy's long-range submarine HMCS Victoria has undergone a series of weapon system trials at Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges in Nanoose Bay, Canada, as part of the technical and operational tests of Victoria's weapons systems.

During the demonstration, HMCS Victoria performed multiple firing of the exercise version of the MK48 heavyweight exercise torpedo wherein the warhead module of the torpedo was replaced with electronics for gathering test data.

Canadian Submarine Force director captain Luc Cassivi said as the submarine fleet achieves steady state it will be ready to act decisively at sea in defence of Canada, when and where needed.

"These trials represent a major milestone for the Victoria-class submarine program as Victoria is the first submarine in the fleet to fire a MK48 Heavyweight exercise Torpedo," Cassivi added.

HMCS Victoria incorporates six torpedo tubes and can carry up to eighteen Mark 48 Mod 4 heavyweight torpedoes to combat against surface and sub-surface targets.

Prior to being fully operational later this summer, the submarine's equipment and crew trials will continue throughout March 2012 following which additional weapons system trials are scheduled to be conducted in spring 2012.

The submarine also trained with a naval task group and focused on coordinated anti-submarine warfare tactics while off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

The Canadian Navy had purchased four diesel-electric powered long range patrol submarines from the UK in the 1990s.

The Canadian submarine fleet consists of four submarines, of which three are scheduled to be operational in 2013 while the remaining one will undergo deep maintenance as part of the ongoing submarine operational cycle.

Image: HMCS Victoria at the Pacific Northwest Region Bangor Complex to conduct ranging operations with the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Photo: US Navy Ray F. Longaker, Jr.

* Notícia publicada a Naval Technology. Tot i tenir unes forces molt més discretes que les seves equivalents nord-americanes i britàniques, la Reial Armada del Canadà és una flota genys menyspreable. Els exercicis, manteniment i actualitzacions periòdiques que realitza, demostren la voluntat d'aquest país de no perdre pistonada en l'escena internacional.