Source: Facebook

It’s a happy homecoming day for the friends, family and sailors on two Halifax naval ships.

HMCS Glace Bay and Moncton return home from Operation Projection West Africa.

“I want to extend a huge welcome home to the sailors of HMCS Moncton and Glace Bay and congratulate them on their successful deployment. Your participation in Operations PROJECTION West Africa and GLOBE demonstrate the Royal Canadian Navy’s flexibility and readiness in helping to promote stability in two global regions and assisted in creating and maintaining the conditions for peace and security. Bravo Zulu.”
-Rear-Admiral Brian Santarpia, Commander Maritime Component Command

They worked on relationships with allies, as well as excercises that focused on counter-piracy and terrorism and even detoured to Haiti in February, extending the trip by three weeks. There they worked on maintaining peace and security in the region.

It marked the sixth time Canada deployed two Kingston-class vessels to the West Africa.

Quick Facts

• Operation PROJECTION is Canada’s ongoing naval forward presence mission to promote peace and stability in support of the rules-based international order.

• HMC Ships Glace Bay and Moncton’s re-tasking from Operation PROJECTION to Operation GLOBE demonstrates the Royal Canadian Navy’s unique ability to adapt quickly to emerging missions or undertake completely new missions without needing new equipment, crewing, or training.

• Operation GLOBE is part of the Canadian Armed Forces’ commitment to active engagement abroad. These deployments give CAF members the opportunity to work alongside personnel from other government departments, as well as other nations.

• Security assistance is one of the four pillars of Canada’s whole of government response to the crisis in Haiti, which also includes diplomacy, sanctions, and humanitarian and development assistance.

• During Operation PROJECTION West Africa, the ships participated in Exercise Obangame Express 2023, which is the largest multinational maritime exercise in Western Africa. This year, 29 nations participated in the exercise which involved maritime domain awareness, tactical interdiction that includes counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, and counter-smuggling operations in the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean.