The 1960s
The State of the RCN in 1963

Part 7: Afloat Logistic Support

Presentation given to the House of Commons on July 9th, 1963 by Vide-Admiral H.S. Rayner, Chief of Naval Staff.

Part 1 Introduction Part 2 Threats Part 3 Role and Purpose of the RCN Part 4 The RCN Today Part 5 Submarines Part 6 Aircraft Part 7 Afloat Logistic Support Part 8 Future Vessels Part 9 Organization and Budget Part 10 Conclusion

A DESCRIPTION of the fleet would be incomplete without a few words on afloat logistic support.

NATO nations are individually responsible for the logistic support of the forces they provide to the Alliance.

Any maritime force should have afloat support facilities, for maximum operational effectiveness, flexibility and mobility. Wherever our combatant ships are to be found, and whatever they are doing, there must be satisfactory arrangements for their replenishment with fuel, ammunition and stores, and also for maintenance and repair facilities. Ideally this support should be afloat, and move to a distant area with the combatant ships. Afloat logistic support is also a very satisfactory means of dispersing stores and facilities from our shore bases.

Figure 12: HMCS CAPE BRETON, maintenance repair ship. (E-66886) (Click image for a larger version)

We now have two Cape class maintenance repair ships (Figure 12), which although old and slow, are adequate for their purpose. A new fleet replenishment ship, HMCS Provider, will enter service this year.

Aside from their normal role of replenishment and repair these vessels, particularly the Cape class, possess a good capability for carrying Army troops and their equipment.

Figure 13 shows an artist’s conception of our new fleet replenishment ship, the Provider. The Provider will be able to replenish at speeds up to 20 knots and will carry fuel oil, diesel fuel, avgas, ammunition, spare helicopters, and dry stores.

Figure 13: HMCS PROVIDER, fleet replenishment ship, entering service this year. Atrist's conception. (Click image for a larger version)

The Provider is a large ship, 22,000 tons, 551 feet in length, a beam of 76 feet and a draught of 30 feet. She will have a top speed of 20 knots and a crew of 159. She is being built in Lauzon, Quebec.

Another interesting vessel under construction in Esquimalt, is this research ship (Figure 14). She will be operated on the Pacific Coast by the Navy, as required by the Pacific Laboratory for the Defence Research Board.

She will be 235’ long, 38’ beam and displace 1,600 tons. She will have a diesel-electric drive, be very quiet up to six knots and have a top speed of 16 knots. She will have a long endurance, so 60 days of refrigerated storage is being provided, and she is also being stabilized. She will have accommodation for 12 scientists and a crew of 26.

Figure 14: Research ship under construction at Esquimalt. (Click image for a larger version)

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