.jpg)
US and Canadian armed forces will conduct a biennial joint naval exercise, codenamed Trident Fury 2013, off the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, from 3-19 May, aimed at enhancing communication and coordination capabilities between coalition forces.
More than 1100 personnel from the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Canadian Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force, the US Air National Guard, and the US Coast Guard (USCG) will take part in the exercise.
Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay said that the joint and bi-national exercises will help the country’s armed forces to rapidly deploy joint operations effectively alongside allies, while maintaining operational readiness.
Canadian naval assets, including Iroquois-class destroyer HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283), Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341), Kingston-class coastal defence vessels HMCS Nanaimo (MM 702), HMCS Saskatoon (MM 709) and HMCS Edmonton (MM 703) as well as Victoria-class submarine, HMCS Victoria (SSK 876), will participate in the drill.
In addition, the exercise involves US Navy Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7), Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Ford (FFG-54), Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG-57), Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USCG cutters Rush and Orcas.
The air component of the two nations includes the Lockheed Martin-built CP-140 Aurora and CC-130J Hercules, Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King, McDonnell Douglas-designed CF-18 Hornet and F-15 Eagle, Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets, as well as Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler aircraft.
Royal Canadian Navy commander vice-admiral Paul Maddison said: "Trident Fury is one of a series of multinational exercises designed to prepare our forces to work together in a wide range of potential operations from the provision of humanitarian aid and disaster relief to full-combat operations."
Image: USS Spruance (DDG 111), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, US. Photo: courtesy of US Navy, by mass communication specialist 2nd class Michael K McNabb/Released.
