HMCS Goose Bay is a decommissioned that served in the Canadian Forces from 1998 to 2025. Goose Bay is the eighth ship of her class. She was the first vessel to be named Goose Bay. The coastal defence vessel was assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and homeported at CFB Halifax.

Design and description

The Kingston class was designed to fill the minesweeper, coastal patrol and reserve training needs of the Canadian Forces, replacing the s, s and Royal Canadian Mounted Police coastal launches in those roles. In order to perform these varied duties the Kingston-class vessels are designed to carry up to three ISO containers with power hookups on the open deck aft in order to embark mission-specific payloads. The seven module types available for embarkation include four route survey, two mechanical minesweeping and one bottom inspection modules.

The Kingston class is equipped with a Kelvin Hughes navigational radar using the I band and a Kelvin Hughes 6000 surface search radar scanning the E and F bands. The vessels carry an AN/SQS-511 towed side scan sonar for minesweeping and a Remote-control Mine Hunting System (RMHS). The vessels are equipped with one Bofors 40 mm/60 calibre Mk 5C gun and two M2 machine guns. The Kingston-class coastal defence vessels have a complement of 37.

In Fall 2000, the coastal defence vessel took part in the naval exercise Unified Spirit off the east coast of North America. From 23 April to 9 May 2001, Goose Bay, accompanied by sister ship , took part in the NATO naval exercise Blue Game off the coasts of Norway and Denmark. In August 2002, Goose Bay and sister ship sailed to Arctic waters as part of Operation Narwhal Ranger, a military exercise involving all arms of the Canadian Forces. This marked the first Arctic visit by naval vessels in thirteen years. This was the fourth annual joint exercise, and the first where foreign vessels participated. In 2012, the vessel deployed as part of Operation Caribbe, Canada's participation in the war on drugs.

In February 2015, Goose Bay was deployed again to Operation Caribbe. In March 2015, as part of Operation Caribbe, Goose Bay, along with sister ship and the US Navy frigate , intercepted a vessel in the Caribbean Sea carrying of cocaine. On 8 September 2015, Goose Bay deployed for large NATO naval exercises Joint Warrior and Trident Venture with , , , and Summerside. In the summer of 2016, Goose Bay was sent on a goodwill tour of the Great Lakes, making several port visits. In July, Goose Bay visited her namesake port. In September Goose Bay was among the Canadian warships deployed to the NATO naval training exercise "Cutlass Fury" off the east coast of North America.

In June 2017, Goose Bay returned to the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway for a goodwill tour, making several port visits. In August Montréal and Goose Bay and sister ship departed Halifax to take part in the Operation Nanook in Canada's northern waters.

thumb|Goose Bay and in preparation for [[Operation Nanook, August 2021]]

In 2019, Goose Bay sailed to the Caribbean to take part in the naval exercise Tradewinds, training with other nation's navies from the area. In 2021, Goose Bay and took part in Operation Nanook. Goose Bay was among the ships deployed to the Arctic for Operation Nanook in August 2022. In September 2022, Goose Bay was tasked for hurricane relief efforts, after Hurricane Fiona's devastating impact to the Maritimes.

In July 2025 it was announced that Goose Bay and seven of her sister ships would be decommissioned before the end of the year. The ship was decommissioned on 3 October 2025 at Halifax.

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

  • HMCS Goose Bay (MM 707) – official website