The Royal Canadian Navy has officially commissioned HMCS Frédérick Rolette, its fifth Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV).
The RCN marked the vessel’s formal entry into active service with a special ceremony in Ottawa, Ontario, on Friday which included a symbolic presentation of the commissioning pennant to the Commanding Officer, Commander Jolene Lisi.
Built by Halifax Shipyards in Nova Scotia, the AOPV had been delivered in August 2024, and is named after a Canadian-born officer and naval hero from the War of 1812.
The first-in-class ship, HMCS Harry DeWolf, was commissioned in June 2021; six RCN ships are planned in total. The final vessel in the class, the future HCMS Robert Hampton Gray, was launched in December 2024 and is currently being fitted out. It is expected to be delivered in August this year.
Two further vessels, a variant on the basic design, are under construction and are destined for the Canadian Coast Guard. They are anticipated to be commissioned into service in 2026 and 2027.
The AOPVs are capable of embarking small vehicles, deployable boats, and have a flight deck which can accommodate the same maritime helicopter used by other RCN vessels, the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone.
As per a Government of Canada press statement, at the ceremony Minister of National Defence David J. McGuinty commented: “Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels are a critical capability for our Navy’s ability to defend Canada’s waters.
“To assert our sovereignty, we will need a strong and sustained presence along our three coasts. The HMCS Frédérick Rolette and its crew is integral to that objective — asserting our sovereignty in Arctic and coastal waters.”
- You can read more details on the Government of Canada website
