The future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, the sixth and final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, has been officially delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy.
According to the company's release, the handover ceremony took place at Halifax Shipyard, where Dirk Lesko, President of Irving Shipbuilding; Rear Admiral Josée Kurtz, Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic Commander; and Commander Brian Henwood, Commanding Officer of HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, signed the ship’s documents.
Following the ceremony, the vessel departed Irving Shipbuilding’s pier for HMC Dockyard.
Halifax Shipyard has delivered one Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship per year to the Royal Canadian Navy, concluding with the future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray.
Two AOPS variants are currently under construction for the Canadian Coast Guard.
In April, Irving Shipbuilding began building the first River-class destroyer, the future HMCS Fraser, as part of a program that will consist of 15 destroyers.
According to official specifications, the ship has a length of 103.6 metres, a beam of 19.0 metres, and a speed of 17 knots in open water. Its range is 6,800 nautical miles at 14 knots, with an endurance of 120 days. It is equipped with integrated diesel-electric power and propulsion, a bow thruster, retractable active fin stabilizers, and can accommodate a CH-148 Cyclone or a small utility helicopter. The complement is 65 crew plus 20 embarked forces.
Irving Shipbuilding Inc. is a Canadian shipbuilding company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is part of the J.D. Irving Group of Companies and operates Halifax Shipyard, which is the largest full-service shipyard on North America’s Atlantic coast. The company is the primary contractor for Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy in the combat vessel category.
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is the maritime force of the Canadian Armed Forces and one of three environmental commands within the Department of National Defence. The RCN is responsible for Canada’s naval operations, including defense of national waters, sovereignty patrols, and participation in multinational operations.
Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is a federal agency under Fisheries and Oceans Canada. It is responsible for maritime safety, environmental response, icebreaking services, and support for Canadian sovereignty in northern waters. The CCG is not a military organization but provides civilian services critical to Canada’s maritime operations.