VICTORIA Class

(SSK) patrol submarine


 

VICTORIA Class
Characteristics:

Displacement:
2,160 / 2,400 tons surfaced / submerged 
Dimensions:
70.3 x 7.6 x 6.5 meters (230.6 x 24.9 x 21.3 feet)
Propulsion:
Diesel-electric, 1 shaft;
2 Paxman Valenta 1600 RPA SZ diesels;
1 GEC motor, 5400 shp;
12 knots surface, 20 knots submerged
Crew:
46
Radar:
Kelvin Hughes Type 1007
Sonar:
Type 2046 / CANTASS towed array sonar;
Thomson Sintra Type 2040 Passive/Active bow sonar
Type 2007 Passive search Flank array sonar
Type 2019 Passive/Active Ranging & Intercept Sonar
Type 2041 passive ranging Micropuffs
Fire Control:
Lockheed-Martin Librascope SFCS Mk 1 Mod C
Electronic Warfare:

Armament:
Six forward 21" tubes for 18 Mk.48 Mod 4 torpedoes

These subs were Sub-Harpoon capable in British service, but this weapon is not being purchased by the Canadian Navy.

Ships:
 
Name
Pendant
Commissioned RN
Re-Commissioned RCN
Homeport
Notes
VICTORIA
876
1991
23/11/00
Esquimalt
ex-HMS UNSEEN
WINDSOR
877
1993
 
 Halifax
ex-HMS UNICORN
CORNERBROOK
878
1992

Halifax
ex-HMS URSULA
CHICOUTIMI
879
1990

Halifax
ex-HMS UPHOLDER

Notes:

On April 6,1998, the Canadian Government announced that four ex-Royal Navy submarines of the UPHOLDER class were purchased from Britain (in an 8 year lease-to-buy schedule).

These submarines were decommissioned from the Royal Navy in 1993 and were then laid up for several years, after the Royal Navy decided to focus solely on nuclear submarines as a cost-saving measure. These submarines are twenty-five years more modern than the OBERON class submarines that they replace, and they represent a substantial leap in techology over their predecessors. They use a scaled down hull from the Royal Navy's successful TRAFALGAR class SSN (nuclear powered attack submarines).

The subs have undergone preliminary refits at Barrow-in-Furness in England, and traveled to Canada for further "Canadianization" work once the Navy was convinced that they were ready. This class of subs is suffering a large number of teething problems on being reactivated, possibly exacerbated by the long period of deactivation. As well, the program to refit them to Canadian requirements is taking longer than expected due to manpower shortages resulting from the efforts required to ready ships for Operation Apollo deployments to the Middle East. It is not expected that all submarines will be fully operational until after 2012.

CHICOUTIMI was accepted by the Canadian Navy in Faslane, Scotland, in a ceremony in earler October, and was underway to Canada when she suffered a serious fire just forward of the bridge. The crew were able to extinguish the fire, but several crew members suffered injury from smoke inhalation, and one officer later died of his injuries. CHICOUTIMI was towed back to Faslane. On October 12, the Navy ordered that all the subs be returned to port indefinately while the investigation into the fire on CHICOUTIMI continues.

It was originally projected that they would be fitted with fuel cell technology (Air Independent Propulsion, or AIP) produced by Ballard Canada. This would have enabled them to remain submerged for extended periods, possibly allowing them limited under-ice capabilities. However, this now seems unlikely.

VICTORIA

VICTORIA arrived in Halifax in late October, 2000, and has since been refitted considerably. She has been commissioned into the Canadian Navy, and travelled to Esquimalt, British Columbia, where further work has been done. VICTORIA has been in and out of refit since arriving on the West Coast, intermixed with short periods of service.

WINDSOR

WINDSOR has been commissioned, and after completing a portion of the refit process, she saw some active service (minus several capabilities, including that to fire torpedos) to aid in the training of submariners. During this time, she participated in several cruises including an exercise with the US Navy. She entered an extended refit period in 2007 that is expected to last into 2009.

CORNER BROOK

CORNER BROOK was in refit in 2006, but has since returned to active service interspersed with several maintenance periods. She still does not have the capability of firing torpedoes. She has participated in several exercises, including at least one with the US Navy.

CHICOUTIMI

CHICOUTIMI suffered the aforementioned fire in October 2004, and did not arrive in Canada until February 2005 when she was transported on the Eide Transporter. She entered the graving dock of the Halifax Shipyard in 2005 and underwent assessment and minor repair and cleanup work during that time. Upon leaving drydock, she then was laid up at HMC Dockyard for a period of time until she departed for Esquimalt on the deck of the semi-submersible heavy lift vessel Dockwise Tern in April 2009. She arrived in Esqimalt during the last week of April. In 2010, she is expected to enter an extended refit period which will return her to service. CHICOUTIMI may have been partially cannibalized during her layup to keep her sisterships operational.


Photos:

 (click on thumbnail for bigger image) 

VICTORIA
Notes:
1. A cut-away diagram of the UPHOLDER class. VSEL photo, Courtesy of Corvus Publishing Ltd./Canada's Navy.
2. VICTORIA seen on the Synchrolift in the Dockyard in Halifax. Sandy McClearn photo. (2002)
3. VICTORIA moored in Halifax Harbour. Sandy McClearn photo. (May 2003)
4. VICTORIA. Sandy McClearn photo. (May 2003)
5. VICTORIA lies in a graving dock at the naval base in Esquimalt, BC. DND photo.
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2
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4

Victoria
Victoria
Victoria
5
6
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8
VICTORIA



WINDSOR
Notes:
1. HMCS WINDSOR arrives in Halifax for the first time on October 19th, 2001. Ian MacCorquodale photo.
2. WINDSOR. Ian MacCorquodale photo.
3. WINDSOR alongside in the Dockyard. Sandy McClearn photo. (2002)
4. WINDSOR lies alongside in autumn 2002. Sandy McClearn photo.
5. WINDSOR leaves Halifax Harbour, with George's Island in the background. Sandy McClearn photo. (2004)
6. WINDSOR leaves her dock with help from some tugs. Sandy McClearn photo. (2004)
7. WINDSOR in Halifax Harbour. At the time of the photo, WINDSOR was the only operational VICTORIA class sub. Mac Mackay photo. (2006)
8. WINDSOR transits the narrows of Halifax Harbour. Sandy McClearn photo. (2005)
9. WINDSOR transits the narrows of Halifax Harbour. Sandy McClearn photo. (2005)
10. WINDSOR transits the narrows of Halifax Harbour. Sandy McClearn photo. (2005)
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Windsor
WINDSOR
5
6
7
8
WINDSOR
WINDSOR
Windsor
Windsor
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10
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Windsor
Windsor


CORNERBROOK
Notes:
1. CORNER BROOK. Sandy McClearn photo. (December 2003)
2. CORNER BROOK in Halifax Harbour with oil rigs in the background. DND photo / Pte Matthew McGregor.
3. CORNER BROOK on the synchrolift. Sandy McClearn photo.
4. CORNER BROOK on the synchrolift. (2008) Sandy McClearn photo.
5. CORNER BROOK leaving Halifax Harbour. (2008) Sandy McClearn photo.
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Corner Brook
CORNER BROOK
CORNER BROOK
Corner Brook
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Corner Brook


CHICOUTIMI
Notes:
1. HMS UPHOLDER, as seen in service with the Royal Navy in the early 1990s. VSEL photo, Courtesy of Corvus Publishing Ltd./Canada's Navy.
2. CHICOUTIMI takes aboard a towline as she lies crippled north of Ireland, with HMS MARLBOROUGH in the background. DND photo / CPO John Lambert.
3. The sealift vessel Eide Transporter passes through the narrows of Halifax Harbour, with the CHICOUTIMI's fin just visible ahead of the ship's funnels. Sandy McClearn photo.
4. Eide Transporter from aft. Sandy McClearn photo.
5. Eide Transporter enters a bank of thick fog in Halifax Harbour. Sandy McClearn photo.
6. With the Eide Transporter partially submerged in the background, tugs bring CHICOUTIMI back down the harbour in the direction of the Dockyard. Sandy McClearn photo.
7. Some members of the crew are visible on the casing and fin in orange survival suits. Sandy McClearn photo.
8. CHICOUTIMI passes HMCS IROQUOIS, in refit at the Halifax Shipyard. Sandy McClearn photo.
9. CHICOUTIMI embarked upon the semi-submersible heavy lift vessel Dockwise Tern. (2009) Sandy McClearn photo.
10. CHICOUTIMI on Tern, about to depart for repairs and refit in Esquimalt. (2009) Sandy McClearn photo.
11. A close-up of CHICOUTIMI on Tern. The ventilation piping is intended to maintain humidity levels within the sub's interior during the transit to the west coast. (2009) Sandy McClearn photo.
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Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi
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6
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8
Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi
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10
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12
Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi


 


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