HMCS Victoria (SSK 876)
{{Short description|Royal Canadian Navy hunter-killer submarine}}
{{Redirect|HMCS Victoria|warships of the same name operated by the colony of Victoria|HMVS Victoria}}
{{other ships|HMS Unseen}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = US Navy 111212-N-GU530-103 The Royal Canadian Navy long-range patrol submarine HMCS Victoria (SSK 876) arrives at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor for a po.jpg | Ship image size = 300px | Ship caption = HMCS Victoria arrives at Naval Submarine Base Bangor, December 2011 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = United Kingdom | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} | Ship name = Unseen | Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | Ship original cost = | Ship laid down = 12 August 1987 | Ship launched = 14 November 1989 | Ship sponsor = | Ship christened = | Ship completed = | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = 20 July 1991 | Ship decommissioned = 1994 | Ship struck = | Ship homeport = | Ship identification = | Ship motto = | Ship nickname = | Ship honours = | Ship fate = Transferred to Canada | Ship status = | Ship notes = | Ship badge = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = title | Ship country = Canada | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Canada|naval}} | Ship name = Victoria | Ship acquired = 1998 | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship renamed = | Ship reclassified = | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship homeport = | Ship identification = SSK 876 | Ship motto = "Expect No Warning" | Ship nickname = | Ship honours = | Ship captured = | Ship fate = | Ship status = {{Ship in active service}} | Ship notes = Colours: Gold and Red | Ship badge = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = {{sclass|Upholder/Victoria|submarine}} | Ship type = | Ship displacement = *{{convert|2185|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
| Ship length = {{convert|70.26|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|7.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|5.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship propulsion = *Diesel-electric ({{convert|37|MW|abbr=on}})
| Ship speed = *{{convert|12|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}} surfaced
| Ship range = {{convert|10000|nmi|km |
| 3}} at {{convert|12|kn|km/h|0}}
| Ship test depth = {{convert|200|m|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship complement = 53 officers and crew | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = *6 × British 21 inch torpedo torpedo tubes
| Ship armour = | Ship notes = }} |
HMCS Victoria is a long-range hunter-killer (SSK) submarine of the Royal Canadian Navy, the lead ship of her class. She is named after the city of Victoria, British Columbia. She was purchased from the Royal Navy, and is the former HMS Unseen (S41). The class was also renamed from the Upholder class.
Design
{{main|Upholder/Victoria-class submarine}}
As built the Upholder/Victoria class was designed as a replacement for the {{sclass|Oberon|submarine|4}} for use as hunter-killer and training subs. The submarines, which have a single-skinned, teardrop-shaped hull, displace {{convert|2220|LT|t}} surfaced and {{convert|2455|LT|t}} submerged.Gardiner and Chumbley, p. 532Saunders, p. 88 They are {{convert|230|ft|7|in|m|1}} long overall with a beam of {{convert|25|ft|0|in|m|1}} and a draught of {{convert|17|ft|8|in|m|1}}.
The submarines are powered by a one shaft diesel-electric system. They are equipped with two Paxman Valenta 1600 RPS SZ diesel engines each driving a {{convert|1.4|MW|lk=on|adj=on}} GEC electric alternator with two 120-cell chloride batteries.Perkins, p. 196 The batteries have a 90-hour endurance at {{convert|3|kn|lk=in}}. The ship is propelled by a {{convert|4.028|MW|adj=on}} GEC dual armature electric motor turning a seven-blade fixed pitch propeller. They have a {{convert|200|LT|t|adj=on}} diesel capacity. This gives the subs a maximum speed of {{convert|12|kn|lk=in}} on the surface and {{convert|20|kn}} submerged. They have a range of {{convert|8000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|8|kn}} and {{convert|10000|nmi}} at snorting depth.Cocker, p. 123 The class has a reported dive depth of over {{convert|650|ft|m}}.
The Upholder/Victoria class are armed with six {{convert|21|in|mm|adj=on|0}} torpedo tubes. In British service, the submarines were equipped with 14 Tigerfish Mk 24 Mod 2 torpedoes and four UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon missiles. They could also be adapted for use as a minelayer. The submarines have Type 1007 radar and Type 2040, Type 2019, Type 2007 and Type 2046 sonar installed. The hull is fitted with elastomeric acoustic tiles to reduce acoustic signature. In British service the vessels had a complement of seven officers and 40 ratings.
=Refits and Canadian alterations=
During the refit for Canadian service, the Sub-Harpoon and mine capabilities were removed and the submarines were equipped with the Lockheed Martin Librascope Submarine fire-control system (SFCS) to meet the operational requirements of the Canadian Navy. Components from the fire control system of the Oberon-class submarines were installed.Perkins, p. 166 This gave the submarines the ability to fire the Gould Mk 48 Mod 4 torpedo. In 2014, the Government of Canada purchased 12 upgrade kits that will allow the submarines to fire the Mk 48 Mod 7AT torpedoes.{{cite news|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-government-to-spend-41-million-for-torpedo-upgrade-kits-for-submarines |title=Canadian government to spend $41 million for torpedo upgrade kits for submarines |last=Pugliese |first=David |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |date=26 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228114932/http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-government-to-spend-41-million-for-torpedo-upgrade-kits-for-submarines |archive-date=28 February 2018 |access-date=28 February 2018}}
These radar and sonar systems were later upgraded with the installation of the BAE Type 2007 array and the Type 2046 towed array. The Canadian Towed Array Sonar (CANTASS) has been integrated into the towed sonar suite. The Upholder-class submarines were equipped with the CK035 electro-optical search periscope and the CH085 optronic attack periscope, originally supplied by Pilkington Optronics. After the Canadian refit, the submarines were equipped with Canadian communication equipment and electronic support measures (ESM). This included two SSE decoy launchers and the AR 900 ESM.
Construction and career
The submarine's keel was laid down as HMS Unseen at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead yard on 12 August 1987. The submarine was launched on 14 November 1989 and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 20 July 1991. Unseen was decommissioned on 6 April 1994, and placed in reserve in June.Wertheim, pp. 77–78Macpherson and Barrie, p. 298
=Transfer and Canadian service=
Looking to discontinue the operation of diesel-electric boats, the British government offered to sell Unseen and her sister submarines to Canada in 1993. The offer was accepted in 1998. The four boats were leased to the Canada for US$427 million, plus US$98 million for upgrades and alteration to Canadian standards.Ferguson, p. 152
Unseen was the first to be reactivated, and was due to enter service in May 2000. However, problems were discovered with the piping welds on all four submarines, which delayed the reactivation. Unseen was handed over to the Canadian Navy on 6 October 2000 and departed for Canada on 9 October. For the majority of the transit across the Atlantic, the submarine travelled submerged, arriving on 23 October. The submarine was commissioned into Maritime Command as Victoria at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 2 December 2000.
=Damage=
On arrival in Halifax, Victoria was placed into dockyard hands for a refit.{{cite news |url=http://www.timescolonist.com/Military+helicopter+delays/2600890/story.html |title=Military helicopter delays |date=23 February 2010 |work=The Victoria Times |access-date=14 May 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} This was originally scheduled to take six months, but was not completed until 2003. In April 2002, while in drydock, a dent was discovered in the hull below the waterline. This contributed to the delayed refit. Victoria was then transferred to Esquimalt, British Columbia, becoming the first Canadian submarine stationed in the Pacific since the 1974 decommissioning of {{HMCS|Rainbow|SS-75|6}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/victoria/2/2-s_eng.asp |publisher=National Defence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706060555/http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/victoria/2/2-s_eng.asp |archive-date=6 July 2009 |title=HMCS Victoria Arrives Sunday}} The submarine was in and out of dock during 2004 and 2005, culminating in a planned two-year repair program in late 2005.
Quoting a CBC News report from May 2006:
:Navy technicians caused "catastrophic damage" to one of Canada's trouble-plagued submarines two years ago, says a Halifax newspaper report that cited military documents.
:The technicians blew out the electrical system when they hooked up HMCS Victoria to a modern electrical generator, the Halifax Chronicle-Herald reported Saturday.
:"Attempts to use a DC [direct current] feed … caused catastrophic damage to certain onboard filters and power supply units," the Chronicle-Herald reported, quoting recently released military documents about the incident, which occurred in British Columbia.
:The navy is now spending about $200,000 to buy old electrical equipment that mirrors the original equipment found on the submarine.{{cite news|title=Navy technicians blew submarine's electrical system: report|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/navy-technicians-blew-submarine-s-electrical-system-report-1.616637|access-date=7 January 2014|newspaper=CBC News|date=14 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107083524/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/navy-technicians-blew-submarine-s-electrical-system-report-1.616637|archive-date=7 January 2014|url-status=live}}
=2000 to present=
Between 2000 and 2010, Victoria had only been at sea for 115 days; and was expected to re-enter service in mid-2011, after six years in drydock.{{cite web|url=http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/sub-support-contract-creating-canadian-controversy-04563/|access-date=2 January 2011|publisher=Defense Industry Daily|title=Sub Fleet Creating Canadian Controversies|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231005051/http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/sub-support-contract-creating-canadian-controversy-04563/|archive-date=31 December 2010|url-status=live}}
As of March 2011, repairs were still ongoing. As of 23 April 2011, the submarine was reported to be out of drydock and going through trials.{{cite news|url=http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/archive/2011/04/23/hmcs-victoria-back-in-the-water.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716213710/http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/archive/2011/04/23/hmcs-victoria-back-in-the-water.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 July 2012|work=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=23 April 2011|title=HMCS Victoria Back In the Water}} On 5 December 2011, Victoria departed Esquimalt Harbour to conduct sea trials and crew training.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/marpac/4/4-w_eng.asp?id=1157 |publisher=National Defence |access-date=17 January 2012 |title=HMCS Victoria Returns To Sea |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125071713/http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/marpac/4/4-w_eng.asp?id=1157 |archive-date=25 January 2012}}{{cite journal|journal=Lead and Line|date=January 2012|volume=27|title=Victoria sails past Fisgard Lighthouse|issue=1|page=1|url=http://www.noavi.ca/leadline/1201leadline.pdf|access-date=7 January 2014|editor1-first=Migs|editor1-last=Turner|publisher=Naval Officers' Association of Vancouver Island|location=Victoria|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107100810/http://www.noavi.ca/leadline/1201leadline.pdf|archive-date=7 January 2014}} Victoria arrived at Bangor Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor for deperming (degaussing or the erasure of magnetism) on 13 December 2011,{{cite news |url=http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/dec/13/canadian-submarine-visiting-bangor-base |access-date=17 January 2012 |title=Canadian submarine visiting Bangor base |work=Kitsap Sun |last=Friedrich |first=Ed |date=31 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108021924/http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/dec/13/canadian-submarine-visiting-bangor-base/ |archive-date=8 January 2012 }} returning to Esquimalt on 16 December.
On 16 March 2012, Victoria fired her first exercise torpedo since beginning her refit.{{cite news |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/thewest/Submarine+HMCS+Victoria+fires+first+exercise+torpedo/6316138/story.html|access-date=17 March 2012 |title=Submarine HMCS Victoria fires its first exercise torpedo |work=The Vancouver Sun}} {{dead link|date=October 2014}}{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/sub-hmcs-victoria-fires-1st-torpedoes-in-test-1.1170626 |title=Sub HMCS Victoria fires 1st torpedoes in test |date=16 March 2014 |access-date=1 October 2014 |work=CBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007110515/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/sub-hmcs-victoria-fires-1st-torpedoes-in-test-1.1170626 |archive-date=7 October 2014 |url-status=live }} While participating in RIMPAC 2012 exercises, Victoria successfully fired a Mark 48 torpedo on 17 July 2012 striking and sinking the discarded USNS Concord.{{cite news |url=http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii/RIMPAC-sinks-second-ship/-/8905354/15598432/-/avp6chz/-/index.html |title=RIMPAC sinks second ship |work=KITV4 (ABC) |date=18 July 2012 |access-date=1 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103081845/http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii/RIMPAC-sinks-second-ship/-/8905354/15598432/-/avp6chz/-/index.html |archive-date=3 January 2014 }} Victoria was declared fully operational in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/mobil/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3979 |access-date=17 March 2013 |title=Royal Canadian Navy Submarines: Fleet Status |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524034128/http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/mobil/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3979 |archive-date=24 May 2013 }}
Victoria participated in Operation Caribbe in 2013.{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/crew-of-hmcs-victoria-to-receive-operational-service-medals |title=Crew of HMCS Victoria to receive Operational Service Medals |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |last=Pugliese |first=David |date=22 September 2014 |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006081919/http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/crew-of-hmcs-victoria-to-receive-operational-service-medals |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=live }} In July 2014, Victoria sailed to Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC exercises.{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/hmcs-victoria-arrives-in-pearl-harbor-to-take-part-in-rimpac-2014 |title=HMCS Victoria arrives in Pearl Harbor to take part in RIMPAC 2014 |last=Pugliese |first=David |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |date=2 July 2014 |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912072013/http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/hmcs-victoria-arrives-in-pearl-harbor-to-take-part-in-rimpac-2014 |archive-date=12 September 2014 |url-status=live }}
In late 2016, it was announced that all four submarines would reach the end of their service life before 2025 without a large-scale upgrade and refit program. The SELEX (Submarine Life Extension) program was introduced as a result. SELEX will upgrade the outer and inner hulls of the submarines, extending their service life into the early 2030s. SELEX will also upgrade and/or replace the submarines' engines, power systems, propulsion systems, sonar system, countermeasures, communications systems and warfare suite. The program is expected to cost anywhere from CAD$1.5 billion to CAD$3 billion, the latter of which is only slightly less than the estimated cost of replacing the fleet with new submarines.{{cite web |url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/business-defence-acquisition-guide-2016/naval-systems-25.page |title=Submarine Life Extension: Replace Existing Systems with Newer or Different System |publisher=National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces |date=26 May 2016 |access-date=22 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222194255/http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/business-defence-acquisition-guide-2016/naval-systems-25.page |archive-date=22 February 2017 |url-status=live }}
To deal with the ongoing battery issues aboard sister boat Chicoutimi that began in May 2017, the main battery was transferred from Victoria to Chicoutimi.{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/navy-transferring-main-battery-from-hmcs-victoria-to-hmcs-chicoutimi |title=Navy transferring main battery from HMCS Victoria to HMCS Chicoutimi |last=Pugliese |first=David |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |date=23 June 2017 |access-date=25 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625174651/http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/navy-transferring-main-battery-from-hmcs-victoria-to-hmcs-chicoutimi |archive-date=25 June 2017 |url-status=live }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
=Sources=
- {{cite book |last=Cocker |first=Maurice |date=2008 |title=Royal Navy Submarines: 1901 to the Present Day |publisher=Pen and Sword Books Ltd. |location=Barnsley, UK |isbn=978-1-84415-733-4}}
- {{cite book |last = Ferguson |first = Julie H. |date=2000 |title = Deeply Canadian: New Submarines for a New Millennium |publisher = Beacon Publishing |location=Port Moody, British Columbia |isbn = 0-9689857-0-X}}
- {{cite book |editor-last=Gardiner |editor-first=Robert |editor-last2=Chumbley |editor-first2=Stephen |editor-last3=Budzbon |editor-first3=Przemysław |date=1995 |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=1-55750-132-7}}
- {{cite book |last=Macpherson |first=Ken |last2=Barrie |first2=Ron |date=2002 |title=The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 |edition=Third |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |location=St. Catharines, Ontario |isbn=1-55125-072-1}}
- {{cite book |last=Perkins |first=J. David |date=2000 |title=The Canadian Submarine Service in Review |publisher=Vanwell Publishing Limited |location=St. Catharines, Ontario |isbn=1-55125-031-4}}
- {{cite book |editor-first=Stephen |editor-last=Saunders |date=2004 |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |location=Alexandria, Virginia |isbn=0-7106-2623-1}}
- {{cite book |title = The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems|editor-last = Wertheim |editor-first=Eric |publisher = Naval Institute Press|location = Annapolis, Maryland |date = 2007 |edition = 15th|isbn = 978-1-59114-955-2 |oclc = 140283156 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TJunjRvplU4C}}
External links
{{Commons category|HMCS Victoria (SSK 876)}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090706051201/http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/victoria/0/0-s_eng.asp HMCS Victoria]
{{Upholder/Victoria class submarine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Victoria (Ssk 876)}}
Category:Submarines of the Royal Canadian Navy
Category:Fleet of the Royal Canadian Navy
Category:Ships built on the River Mersey