HMCS Edmonton (MM 703)

HMCS ''Edmonton'' is a that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1997. ''Edmonton'' is the fourth ship of its class, all of which were built for the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project. The ship is the first vessel to use the designation HMCS ''Edmonton''. The ship is assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) and is homeported at CFB Esquimalt.

Design and description

The ''Kingston'' class was designed to fill the minesweeper, coastal patrol and reserve training needs of the Canadian Forces, replacing the s, s and Royal Canadian Mounted Police coastal launches in those roles.Macpherson and Barrie, p. 299 In order to perform these varied duties the ''Kingston''-class vessels are designed to carry up to three ISO containers with power hookups on the open deck aft in order to embark mission-specific payloads.Saunders (2008), p. 95 The seven module types available for embarkation include four route survey, two mechanical minesweeping and one bottom inspection modules.

The ''Kingston'' class displace and are long overall with a beam and a draught of . The coastal defence vessels are powered by four Jeumont ANR-53-50 alternators coupled to four Wärtsilä UD 23V12 diesel engines creating . Two LIPS Z-drive azimuth thrusters are driven by two Jeumont CI 560L motors creating and the Z drives can be rotated 360°. This gives the ships a maximum speed of and a range of at .Saunders (2004), p. 92

The ''Kingston'' class is equipped with two Sperry Marine Bridgemaster "E" navigational radars, one using the I band and the other operating in the E and F bands. In 2017 ''Edmonton'' will be fitted with the Sperry Marine navigation suite, including updated NAVIGAT X gyrocompasses and NAVITWIN IV heading management system and repeaters. The vessels are equipped to carry an AN/SQS-511 towed side scan sonar for minesweeping and a Remote-control Mine Hunting System (RMHS). The vessels were equipped with one Bofors 40 mm/60 calibre Mk 5C gun and two M2 machine guns. The 40 mm gun was declared obsolete and removed from the vessels in 2014. Some of them ended up as museum pieces and on display at naval reserve installations across Canada. The ''Kingston''-class coastal defence vessels have a regular complement of 33, with bunks available (using the accommodations payload) for up to 47.

Service history

''Edmonton'' was laid down on 8 August 1995 by Halifax Shipyards Ltd. at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was launched on 31 October 1996. The ship underwent sea trials on the east coast before transferring to the west coast, accompanied by . The vessel was commissioned into the Canadian Forces on 21 June 1997 at Esquimalt, British Columbia and carries the hull number MM 703.Macpherson and Barrie, p. 300

In June–July 2002, ''Edmonton'' and sister ships and participated in the naval exercise RIMPAC 2002 off Hawaii.

In September 2013, ''Edmonton'' and sister ship sailed from Esquimalt for Operation Caribbe, the first such deployment of west coast ''Kingston'' class. On 25 October, ''Edmonton'' and her embarked United States Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) intercepted a panga-style vessel and seized of cocaine. Two days later, ''Edmonton'' and her LEDET intercepted a second vessel and recovered of cocaine that had been jettisoned during the chase. After the 40 mm gun was declared obsolete in 2014 and removed from ''Edmonton'', ''Edmonton''s mount was donated to the Edmonton Garrison Memorial Golf and Curling Club in April 2018.

In February 2016 ''Edmonton'' and ''Saskatoon'' sailed from Esquimalt to join Operation Caribbe. On 25 March, in conjunction with the United States Navy destroyer , ''Edmonton'' intercepted drug smugglers in international waters off the coast of Central America. After being stopped, the smuggling vessel attempted to dump its cargo overboard. ''Edmonton'', working with a LEDET detachment, recovered 27 bales of cocaine equalling . ''Edmonton'' and ''Saskatoon'' returned to Esquimalt on 29 April 2016. On 6 October, and ''Edmonton'' left Esquimalt to participate in Operation Caribbe along the Pacific coast. Between 15 and 18 November, ''Edmonton'' disrupted three separate shipments of illegal narcotics. On 15 November, ''Edmonton'' recovered from the ocean after a fishing vessel was intercepted by the United States Coast Guard. On 17 November, a second fishing vessel was stopped by the United States Coast Guard and ''Edmonton'' recovered 16 bales of cocaine weighing roughly from the ocean. On 18 November, ''Edmonton'' took 15 bales of cocaine weighing roughly from the ocean after the drug smugglers escaped. ''Brandon'' and ''Edmonton'' returned to Esquimalt on 16 December.

From August to September 2017, ''Edmonton'' and ''Yellowknife'' sailed to the Arctic Ocean to perform surveillance of Canada's northern waters as part of Operation Limpid. They returned to Esquimalt on 5 October. In 2018, ''Edmonton'' deployed south into the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of Operation Caribbe alongside sister ship . The two ships participated in the intercept and seizure of of illegal drugs. ''Edmonton'' and ''Whitehorse'' returned to Esquimalt on 3 May. The vessel returned to the eastern Pacific Ocean in November with sister ship ''Nanaimo'', where ''Edmonton'' took part in the seizure of of cocaine. The smugglers escaped and during the seizure, the ship suffered a loss of propulsion. The ship returned to Esquimalt on 17 December.

In 2022, ''Edmonton'' was one of the RCN vessels sent to take part in the multinational naval exercise RIMPAC 2022. In February 2023, the vessel was deployed off the Pacific coasts of Central and South America as part of Operation Caribbe.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Edmonton, HMCS
Fleet of the Royal Canadian Navy
Kingston-class coastal defence vessels
1996 ships
Ships built in Nova Scotia