Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Charlottetown heads home after six-month Operation REASSURANCE deployment 

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Charlottetown concluded a six-month deployment on Operation REASSURANCE, as part of Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1), this week.

“Working alongside ships from other NATO member countries, HMCS Charlottetown has contributed to NATO’s operational capabilities in the region, and has represented the very best of the Royal Canadian Navy. HMCS Charlottetown’s officers and crew have worked tirelessly to enhance NATO’s forward-deployed presence, knowing that HMCS St. John’s will continue to achieve operational success under the NATO flag,” said Commander Nathan Decicco, Commanding Officer, HMCS Charlottetown.

HMCS Charlottetown joined SNMG1 in August 2017, and during its six-month deployment, the ship and her crew worked alongside 13 navies and visited 11 ports in seven countries.

Also during the deployment, the crew participated in Exercise NORTHERN COAST 17 in the Baltic Sea and Exercise BRILLIANT MARINER 17 in the Mediterranean Sea.

Exercise NORTHERN COAST 17 took place from Sept. 16-26 and included naval forces from 16 nations.

Exercise BRILLIANT MARINER 17 took place from Sept. 29 to Oct. 13. This exercise is a maritime NATO Response Force exercise and focused on training NATO and Partner Forces within the framework of a crisis response scenario.

Additionally, HMCS Charlottetown supported NATO’s Operation SEA GUARDIAN from Sept. to Dec. 2017. Operation SEA GUARDIAN supports a safe and secure environment for civilian vessels operation in the Mediterranean Sea. HMCS Charlottetown hailed 82 vessels.

The ship will now be replaced by HMCS St. John’s. This is HMCS St. John’s second deployment on Operation REASSURANCE.

“We have been training hard for the past several months in preparation for Op REASSURANCE and the crew is well prepared for the challenges that lay ahead. The entire ship’s company and I are excited to join our Allies, and we are ready to continue the great work that HMCS Charlottetown accomplished during her time with NATO alongside our Allies, and we are looking forward to continuing to strengthen international and regional stability.” Commander Gord Noseworthy, Commanding Officer, HMCS St John’s