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Halifax-based ship set for Mideast deployment
Navy boss will not say which vessel will be sent to Persian Gulf ahead of formal mission order from federal cabinet.
The Canadian Press
The Canadian navy is preparing to return to duty in the Persian Gulf.
The federal cabinet will soon be asked to approve the deployment of a single warship to the region in order to support the war on terror.
The chief of maritime staff wouldn't identify the ship because the formal order hasn't been given, but Vice-Admiral Drew Robertson says he expects the vessel to sail within a few weeks.
"The effort in the region is going to be ongoing for some time," said Robertson, who commanded Canada's biggest naval deployment to the region in 2001.
The navy took a breather since last spring from what's been almost continuous operations in the region.
HMCS Ottawa returned in March after a six-month deployment where the frigate was part of a U.S. carrier strike group.
Robertson indicated that the ship being readied will come from the navy's principal East Coast base in Halifax and has already been exercising with American warships.
Canada is expected to be called next year to lead the multinational naval task force in the region, which it has done in the past.
Over the last few years, Ottawa has dispatched warships on an individual basis. It's unclear whether the Conservative government will be required to send more ships to meet the lead responsibility.
"We're certainly capable of making a larger contribution and there's a demand from the region for Canadians to contribute leadership from time to time," Robertson said in an interview.
"The coalition is expected to offer Canada a command role in 2008, but that doesn't say anything about the number of ships, or what the government might - might not - choose to do."
Since the first Gulf War in 1991, the navy has sent ships to the region 33 times. By far the biggest deployment came following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
Six warships and more than 1,500 sailors and aircrew joined U.S. and British warships to help hunt down al-Qaida suspects fleeing Afghanistan by sea.
Since then the navy has rotated ships in and out of the volatile waters on an individual basis, but the pace - when combined with training, maintenance and regular coastal defence - has put a strain on resources.
Currently, the frigate HMCS Toronto is on duty with NATO's standing contingency task force, which is operating in waters off Africa.
Navy boss will not say which vessel will be sent to Persian Gulf ahead of formal mission order from federal cabinet.
The Canadian Press
The Canadian navy is preparing to return to duty in the Persian Gulf.
The federal cabinet will soon be asked to approve the deployment of a single warship to the region in order to support the war on terror.
The chief of maritime staff wouldn't identify the ship because the formal order hasn't been given, but Vice-Admiral Drew Robertson says he expects the vessel to sail within a few weeks.
"The effort in the region is going to be ongoing for some time," said Robertson, who commanded Canada's biggest naval deployment to the region in 2001.
The navy took a breather since last spring from what's been almost continuous operations in the region.
HMCS Ottawa returned in March after a six-month deployment where the frigate was part of a U.S. carrier strike group.
Robertson indicated that the ship being readied will come from the navy's principal East Coast base in Halifax and has already been exercising with American warships.
Canada is expected to be called next year to lead the multinational naval task force in the region, which it has done in the past.
Over the last few years, Ottawa has dispatched warships on an individual basis. It's unclear whether the Conservative government will be required to send more ships to meet the lead responsibility.
"We're certainly capable of making a larger contribution and there's a demand from the region for Canadians to contribute leadership from time to time," Robertson said in an interview.
"The coalition is expected to offer Canada a command role in 2008, but that doesn't say anything about the number of ships, or what the government might - might not - choose to do."
Since the first Gulf War in 1991, the navy has sent ships to the region 33 times. By far the biggest deployment came following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
Six warships and more than 1,500 sailors and aircrew joined U.S. and British warships to help hunt down al-Qaida suspects fleeing Afghanistan by sea.
Since then the navy has rotated ships in and out of the volatile waters on an individual basis, but the pace - when combined with training, maintenance and regular coastal defence - has put a strain on resources.
Currently, the frigate HMCS Toronto is on duty with NATO's standing contingency task force, which is operating in waters off Africa.
