The Royal Canadian Navy frigate Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg officially joined Standing NATO Maritime Forces in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean yesterday, July 7, as part of Operation REASSURANCE, Canada’s response to the Putin regime’s aggression in Central and Eastern Europe.
HMCS Winnipeg replaces HMCS Fredericton which had been conducting maritime security operations and joint NATO training exercises in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Baltic Sea as part of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) since January 2015.
Operation REASSURANCE refers to the Canadian Armed Forces’ activities in support of NATO assurance measures through the provision of military capabilities for training, exercises, demonstrations and assigned NATO tasks. These measures are based on the principles of defence, deterrence, and de-escalation.
HMCS Frederictonis scheduled to arrive in its homeport of Canadian Forces Base Halifax in Halifax, NS, in mid-July.
Image: OP Caribbe, DND