Kingston-Class ships journey to Africa on Neptune Trident

Lieutenant-Commander Paul Smith, Commanding Officer of HMCS Summerside, hands out donations to students from St. Edwards Primary School in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Photo by MCpl Pat Blanchard, Canadian Forces Combat Camera, DND

Alex Calder, MARLANT ~

While off the west coast of Africa on Neptune Trident 17-01, HMC Ships Moncton and Summerside came alongside Freetown, Sierra Leone, for a port visit.

The two Kingston-Class ships set sail for Africa Feb. 18. While deployed they will work with regional allies and partners by contributing to maritime security, capacity building and enhancing mutual understanding in the Gulf of Guinea region, off the West Coast of Africa.

“This is a new mission for the RCN (Royal Canadian Navy) to send two of our patrol ships to Africa to work with a number of partner countries,” said Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, before the ships departed. “We do this kind of business with the United States and with our allies in NATO, and I think these young sailors and ships are perfect for the mission of helping the zones along the African coast of reaching a higher level of competency.

“We are asked by the government to respond to world crises on a regular basis. What has changed is our ability to communicate, and our ability to put things into the context of capacity building worldwide, helping other navies, like this mission, and responding to humanitarian disasters.”

The visit to Freetown was one of many strategic engagements the ships will make during their deployment.

“The City of Freetown was settled by Nova Scotians. Freed slaves from the American Revolution that migrated to Nova Scotia lived here, and then in 1792 1,500 of them headed out on two ships to settle Freetown,” said LCdr Paul Smith, Commanding Officer of Summerside.

“To be a part of that history, and essentially track the same course those settlers took going over is very special to me.”

While deployed, the two ships will join a detachment of personnel from the Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG), an enhanced naval boarding party. They will also participate in Obangame Express 2017, an at-sea maritime training event led by U.S. Naval Forces Africa.

MTOG will work with regional partners to support joint training that aims to delay, disrupt or destroy criminal or enemy forces and supplies en route at sea.

Obangame Express 2017 is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations in order to increase maritime safety and security in the region.