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Canadian anti-sub frigate docks on Saipan
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Posted on May 06 2005
The 134.1-meter long Canadian antisubmarine frigate docked on the port of Saipan yesterday morning carrying more than 240 crewmen.
HMCS Winnipeg, the second ship to bear the name and the ninth of 12 Canadian Patrol Frigates to be built by Canada during the late 1980s and early 1990s, is here for recreation, recuperation, and replenishment of supplies.
Military and Veterans Affairs executive officer Ruth Coleman said Saipan is the HMCS Winnipeg’s second to the last stop before her six-month deployment to Iraq. After Saipan, the frigate will steam to the ports of Singapore.
As well as its anti-submarine capability, HMCS Winnipeg is also designed and armed with weaponry for anti-surface and anti-air warfare.
The ship’s design combines a versatile weapon and sensor package with a state-of-the-art damage and machinery control system, making the class one of the most advanced warship designs in the world.
Saipan Chamber of Commerce director Christine Parke, Commonwealth Port Authority seaport manager Lee Cabrera, Marianas Visitors Authority officer Frank Tudela, and Ambyth officials joined Coleman in welcoming the top three officials of HMCS Winnipeg: Commander Kevin Greenwood, Lt. Commander Steve Waddell and chief petty officer 1st Class Jay Watts.
The ship got its name from the city of Winnipeg, capital of Manitoba province in Canada, which is a gateway to western Canada lying at the juncture of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers.
According to reports, the city took great interest in the naming of the first HMCS Winnipeg in 1943.
Coleman said this was the first time in three years that a Canadian warship has visited Saipan. HMCS Winnipeg is scheduled to leave Saipan Monday morning. (Marconi Calindas)
