Canada Gets Ready for Its New Supply Ships

For 40 days, Chilean replenishment ship AO-52 Almirante Montt will be conducting at-sea training with Canadian Pacific Fleet sailors to prepare for the arrival of Canada’s new Queenston-class supply ships.

Partnering with Montt are HMC Ships Vancouver and Calgary, which will practice Replenishment-at-Sea (RAS) operations.

The collaboration was formalized by a Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement (MLSA) between the Chilean Navy and Royal Canadian Navy following Vice-Admiral Mark Norman’s 2014 announcement that the Protecteur-class supply ships would be retired.

Three waves of sailors, mostly boatswains, from CFB Esquimalt will be on board Montt throughout the summer for a few weeks at a time. While the Canadians are on board, Chilean Navy personnel will provide instruction and review on operating the RAS vessel. They will conduct practice RAS operations daily, with the majority carried out off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

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Image: Canadian Navy