HMCS CALGARY (2nd) (335)
HMCS CALGARY (2nd)
The History of HMCS CALGARY (2nd)
HMCS Calgary (FFH 335), a Halifax-class frigate, has been a vital asset of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) since its commissioning on May 12, 1995, at Esquimalt, British Columbia. As the sixth vessel in its class, built under the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project initiated in 1977, it replaced older destroyer escorts with advanced multi-role capabilities for anti-submarine, anti-surface, and anti-air warfare.
Homeported at CFB Esquimalt and assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC), the frigate has consistently protected Canada's sovereignty in the Pacific Ocean and enforced national laws within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. Designed to address evolving maritime threats, HMCS Calgary has served in diverse global operations, reflecting the RCN's shift from open-ocean anti-submarine focus to versatile missions in littoral environments.
Shortly after commissioning, HMCS Calgary embarked on its first major deployment on July 10, 1995, to the Persian Gulf to enforce United Nations sanctions against Iraq. During its return journey in December, it responded to the sinking Greek bulk carrier Mount Olympus, 1,500 kilometers south of Halifax, with its helicopter rescuing all 30 crew members, who were transferred to the freighter Rodopi. This marked the first Canadian Patrol Frigate to circumnavigate the globe, arriving back at Esquimalt on December 22, 1995. In 1999, the frigate participated in the NATO blockade of Yugoslavia in the Adriatic Sea and faced a mechanical setback during the naval exercise Tandem Thrust when one of its diesel generators failed. The following year, it returned to the Persian Gulf, relieving its sister ship HMCS Regina to continue sanctions enforcement against Iraq. In 2003, HMCS Calgary deployed as part of Operation Apollo, contributing to Canada's naval efforts in the War in Afghanistan, showcasing its role in international anti-terrorism operations.
The frigate's operational history includes significant humanitarian and interdiction missions. In 2008, alongside the auxiliary vessel Protecteur and destroyer Iroquois, HMCS Calgary joined Combined Task Force 150 in the Horn of Africa, conducting maritime interdiction to combat drug smuggling and piracy between Somalia and Yemen. In 2009, it participated in Operation Caribbe, the RCN's drug-interdiction effort in the Caribbean Sea. From June 2011 to June 2012, the ship underwent an 18-month mid-life refit under the Halifax Class Modernization (HCM) program at Seaspan's Victoria Shipyards, upgrading its combat management system, radar, communications, and missile systems, including the Harpoon Block II and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block II. Returning to service in 2013 after sea acceptance trials, HMCS Calgary joined RIMPAC 2014, marking China's first participation in the exercise, and conducted joint operations with the U.S. and Japanese navies during San Francisco Fleet Week and Task Group Exercise (TGEX).
In recent years, HMCS Calgary has maintained a robust presence in the Indo-Pacific. In 2018, accompanied by the auxiliary ship MV Asterix, it conducted naval exercises in the South China Sea and East China Sea, visiting Da Nang, Vietnam, Japan, and Australia, while enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea. On April 23, 2021, while operating off Oman with Combined Task Force 150, the frigate intercepted two vessels within 24 hours, seizing 1,286 kilograms of heroin and 360 kilograms of methamphetamine, valued at over $23.22 million. That July, it participated in the multinational exercise Talisman Sabre off Australia. The ship underwent a significant docking work period (DWP) from January 2023 to May 2025 at Seaspan's Victoria Shipyards, the longest refit at the Esquimalt Graving Dock, involving over 1,000 workers for engineering enhancements, equipment installations, and maintenance. Handed back to the RCN in May 2025, it is currently at the Fleet Maintenance Facility in Esquimalt for system reactivation, preparing for future deployments. Equipped with advanced systems like the CMS330 combat management system and CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, HMCS Calgary remains a cornerstone of the RCN, expected to serve until replaced by the River-class destroyers in the 2030s.
HMCS CALGARY (2nd) Statistical Data
- Pendant: 335
- Type: Canadian Patrol Frigate
- Class: Halifax
- Displacement: 5, 235 tonnes
- Length: 135.5 m / 444.5 ft
- Width: 16.4 m / 54 ft
- Draught: 6.15 m / 20 ft
- Speed: 29+ kts
- Compliment: 180 + 45 Transients Officers and Crew
- Arms: 8 Harpoon, 16 VL Sea Sparrow, 1 - 57 mm Bofors Mk. 2 DP, 1 - 20mm Phalanx CIWS, 4 - Mk. 32 12.75" TT, 6 - 12.7 mm M.G, 1 Helicopter.
- Builder: Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel Quebec
- Keel Laid: 15-Jun-91
- Date Launched: 28-Aug-92
- Date Commissioned: 12-May-95
- Paid off: