HMCS
Protecteur - DND Photo
The
Canadian Navy currently has two operational support ships in service.
Both ships, HMCS Protecteur (AOR 509), and HMCS Preserver (AOR 510) are
in the Protecteur class. Protecteur is based in Esquimalt, British
Columbia, while Preserver is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Until
June, 1998 when it was decommissioned, the Navy's third support ship, HMCS
Provider (AOR 508) was also based in Halifax.
The main function of the operational support
ships is to replenish food, munitions, fuel and other supplies to forward
deployed units. The Provider class was the smaller of the two, and
maintained a complement of 225. This ship had a steam turbine engine
with a range of 4,300 nautical miles at 20 knots. It was capable
of embarking up to three Sea King helicopters.
The Protecteur Class ships are slightly
larger, and are also capable of embarking up to three Sea Kings.
They have steam turbine engines, with a range of 4,100 nautical miles at
20 knots. Their complement is 250.
HMCS Preserver returned to Halifax on September
11, 1998 after serving as the command ship for the search and recovery
operation of Swiss Air Flight 111. Preserver was one of the first
ships on scene, and in the initial stages of the operation, it was hoped
that the ship's hospital facilities would prove valuable in the recovery
of survivors. Unfortunately that was not the case.
Operational
Support Ships (Marpac)
Operational
Support Ships (Marlant)
