''Robert Hampton Gray'' (AOPV 435) will be the sixth for the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; , ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 s, 12 s, 4 s, 4 s, 8 s, and several auxiliary ...

. The class was derived from the

Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship ''Harry DeWolf''-class offshore patrol vessels are warships of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) built within the Government of Canada Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) procurement project, part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. In July 2 ...

project as part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement and is primarily designed for the patrol and support of Canada's Arctic regions. It is expected to be the last naval AOPV to be built and will be followed by two more non-armed vessels for the

Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; ) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues in Canadian waters, such as navigation aids and i ...

Design and construction

The option to build the sixth ship in the series was taken up in November 2018 when the vessel was ordered. She is named for Royal Canadian Navy Lieutenant

Robert Hampton Gray Robert Hampton "Hammy" Gray, (November 2, 1917 – August 9, 1945) was a Canadian naval officer, pilot, and recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War II. He and Eugene Esmonde are the only personnel of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to b ...

, the last Canadian to be awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The first steel for ''Robert Hampton Gray'' was cut in August 2022, starting ship construction. The

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

was

laid down Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one ...

on 21 August 2023 and the ship was launched in December 2024.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robert Hampton Gray Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessels Ships built in Nova Scotia