USCGC Tahoma is due to arrive at the Dockyard tomorrow. This marks the first port visit for a US Government vessel this year. the PCU St. Louis, the latest LCS bypassed traditional stops in Canada on her way out of the great lakes a few weeks ago, and no other US Navy or Coast Guard vessels have stopped in Halifax so far this year.
USCGC Tahoma is based in New Hampshire, and is likely make a stop for provisions.
The latest US Navy Littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis is due this morning, and is expected at the dockyard around 8:30am. the ship is sailing from its builders in Wisconsin, to Mayport Florida.
The ship was commissioned Oct 26 in Burns Harbor Indiana.
photos will follow, but may be delayed due to weather.
HNLMS De Ruyter is a De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy. She was commissioned in 2004 and is the Third of four ships of her class. Allion unsuccessfully bid the class for the CSC.
Dutch ships are infrequent visitors to halifax. I do not have a recollection of this class having a recent visit, though we have had vistis form one of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Supply ships, 2 submarines, and HNLMS VAN SPEIJK took part in the most recent Cutlass Fury Exercise.
the ship is scheduled to move to pier 9 tomorrow afternoon, before sailing in the evening.
PSP Flamant, (P676) is a French Fisheries patrol vessel. the First of her class, she entered service in 1997. Three of these offshore patrol vessels are based in Cherbourg. The ship makes for an interesting contrast with Fulmar, which fulfills the same role off Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
This one was photographed on a port visit to the Royal navy dockyard in Portsmouth, England. There will be more posts from that trip in the coming days.
The first arrivals for exercise cutlass fury showed up in Halifax Yesterday and Today.
HMS Northumberland is missing below, its tucked in out of the way at the moment. HDMS PETER WILLEMOES had not yet arrived.
Exercise Cutlass Fury is taking place September 9. The announcement has said 22 ships will take part.So Far, it appears NATO Standing maritime Group 1 will be in attendance. SNMG1 currently consists of:
– USS Gridley (American)
– BNS Leopold I (Belgium)
– NRP Francisco de Almeida (Portugal)
– KNM Thor Heyerdahl (Norway)
I am also hearing that the new Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will be making an Appearance. It has in the past traveled with a Destroyer and Supply ship.
This post will be updated as i learn more details.
UPDATE 1. Marlant has confirmed Asterix will be participating via a tweet.
UPDATE 2. the Royal navy confirmed HMS Northumberland will be sailing to Halifax. the release also states that Northumberland is part of the QE Carrier strike group with HMS Dragon and RFA Tideforce.
UPDATE 3: Arrivals are beginning to be posted – On September 5th, HDMS PETER WILLEMOES (Danish),HNLMS VAN SPEIJK (Dutch) and HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL (Norwegian) are due.
UPDATE 4: USNS PATUXENT and NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA also now confirmed.
UPDATE 5: A US navy Submarine is Due on the 4th. it is USS New Hampshire, Virginia class, fast attack . Other confirmed arrivals include USS GRIDLEY, USS JASON DUNHAM , and BNS LEOPOLD
UPDATE 6: HMS Queen Elizabeth will be in Halifax in this month. She is traveling with HMS Dragon, and RFA Tideforce
Defence watch reports HMC Ships Fredericton, Ville de Quebec, St. John’s, Shawinigan, and Glace Bay will be participating for Canada.
Incidentally – the previous reports mentions 22 Ships and 8 countries. So far we have:
Canada – 6 ( Fredericton, Ville de Quebec, St. John’s, Shawinigan, Glace Bay and Asterix)
US – 4 (USS GRIDLEY, USS JASON DUNHAM, USNS PATUXENT USS New Hampshire)
UK – 1 (HMS Northumberland)
Portual – 1 ( NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA)
Norway – 1 (HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL )
Netherlands -1 (HNLMS VAN SPEIJK )
Denmark – 1 (HDMS PETER WILLEMOES)
France is likely a participant, and will probably send a Frigate and a Submarine as they did in 2016. Add the Leeway Odyssey we have 18 ships. The HMS Queen Elizabeth, RFA Tideforce and HMS Duncan bring us to 21 ships. the RN Carrier group also includes a Astute class Submarine.
UPDATE 7: the French anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet was spotted working with HMS Queen Elizabeth and RFA Tideforce.
USS Gravely made a stop today at Irving Woodside to take on Fuel. The ship spent a few days in Halifax at the dockyard after it was relived as flagship of SNMG1. from Halifax, it sailed north for exercises with Denmark, and is now bound for Norfolk.
Curiously the ship stopped in Nuuk, Greenland Prior to its first call in Halifax.
We posted some details about the Exercise and the fly past in July.
USS Gravely put in for a port visit this morning. The ship tied up at Jetty NH, by the bridge. DDG-107 is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, and was commissioned in 2010, the 57th ship of her type.
Gravely most recently served as flagship of NATO SNMG1, handing off those duties to USS Gridley last week in Rota Spain.
NATO exercise Cutlass Fury will be coming to Halifax this September. Ships should begin arriving the first week of September.
At Yesterdays council meeting, the City approved a flypast request for the opening of Cutlass Fury 2019. The exercise will see 22 warships departing the basin Sept 9, and will be overflown by a Cyclone from Shearwater, 4 Hornets from Bagotville, 2 alpha jets from top aces, and a CP140 from greenwood. the Flyover is scheduled for 1300.
The last Cutlass Fury took place in 2016, and was about half the size of this years edition. Canada, the United States, The United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany took part in that exercise.
Halifax Based Leeway marine will also be providing a “vessel of interest” to the exercise participants.
Cutlass fury runs Sept 9-20, The area of operation will be approximately 50-100 nm southeast of Halifax Harbour.
