The Royal Canadian Navy’s future HMCS Harry DeWolf. Credit: Irving Shipbuilding.

The Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) lead Arctic and offshore patrol ship (AOPS), the future HMCS Harry DeWolf, has been launched in the Bedford Basin in Halifax.

Launched by Irving Shipbuilding’s wholly owned subsidiary Halifax Shipyard, the 103m-long navy ship is the largest RCN vessel built in the country in 50 years.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The development of the future HMCS Harry DeWolf helps support Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), and is expected to strengthen the combatant fleet of the Canadian Navy and improve its maritime surveillance capabilities.

The 6,615t patrol vessel will currently undergo preparatory works for the upcoming sea trials, slated for next year.

“In January 2015, the government awarded a $2.3bn contract to Irving Shipbuilding for the construction of six AOPS.”

Following the sea trials, the future HMCS Harry DeWolf is scheduled to be delivered to the Canadian Navy in mid-2019.

Irving Shipbuilding president Kevin McCoy said: “Congratulations to our more than 1,800 shipbuilders on today’s successful launch of the future HMCS Harry DeWolf.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

“This is a significant milestone and the first of many more launches that will take place at Halifax Shipyard over the next few decades as we work to revitalise the Royal Canadian Navy’s fleet as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy.”

The second and third AOPS, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke and HMCS Max Bernays, are currently under construction at Halifax Shipyard.

Launched by the Government of Canada in 2010, the NSS has been designed to replace the existing fleets of surface vessels deployed for use by the Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard.

In January 2015, the government awarded a $2.3bn contract to Irving Shipbuilding for the construction of six AOPS.

The patrol vessels are being constructed to carry out armed seaborne surveillance and sovereignty in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), in addition to the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic coasts.

Naval Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Naval Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Virtualitics has secured the Innovation and Business Expansion awards for its Integrated Readiness Optimization (IRO) suite. Discover how its explainable AI is transforming maintenance, sustainment and mission readiness, giving defence leaders faster, clearer, and more confident operational decisions.

Discover the Impact