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 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.
As of February 2005:
On October 12, the Navy ordered that all the subs be returned to port
indefinately while the investigation into the fire on CHICOUTIMI
continues. All four
submarines are laid up at this time; CHICOUTIMI awaiting repairs, the
other
three awaiting the completion of the accident investigation.
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 and she is
currently undergoing further testing.
WINDSOR too has been commissioned, and after completing a portion of
the refit process, she has been put into active service (minus several
capabilities, including that to fire torpedos) to aid in the training
of submariners.
CORNER BROOK has arrived in Halifax, and has undergone some
"Canadianization"
work..
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, and an investigation is underway into the incident. CHICOUTIMI
was
put on the back of a the transport ship Eide Transporter and
arrived
in Halifax on February 1, 2005.
As of February 2006:
VICTORIA is currently in refit in British Columbia.
WINDSOR is the only operational VICTORIA class submarine, and
has undertaken several cruises and participated in at least one
exercise with the USN. She is due to continue her "Canadianization"
refit later this year.
CORNER BROOK is on the synchrolift in HMC Dockyard, undergoing
a refit.
CHICOUTIMI is in the graving dock of Halifax Shipyard
undergoing repairs necessitated by the fire she suffered in Autumn,
2004.
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.
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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