Giving teeth to the maritime security operations across the Arabian Sea, the Canadian vessel HMCS Regina is all set to join the multi-national coalition fleet operating in the region.
In Kochi on Tuesday for a day’s visit, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina will soon leave to the Gulf of Oman for patrolling.
Commander Jason Boyd, commanding officer of the Regina, said that the Canadian Navy is looking forward to joint exercises with the Indian Navy, in a talk with Express.
“HMCS Regina is dedicated to counter-terrorism operations only. The major objective of our patrolling in the Gulf of Oman is to ensure maritime security and block terror activities,” said Commander Boyd. Though primarily deployed to counter terrorism operations, Regina can also handle anti-piracy missions. “Carrying personnel and cargo onboard and transferring them to other vessels in the sea, could be termed as contributory to terror activities,” Boyd pointed out, when asked about the extent of terror operations in the region.
Operation Artemis is Canada’s contribution to the Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), the multinational flotilla conducting counter-terrorism operations in the region.
“The CTF has about 26 participating nations from across the globe, and CTF 150 to which Regina is deployed, has five nations, including UK, US, Canada, Australia, and is commanded by Pakistan. Soon the command of CTF 150 will be transferred to Australian forces,” said Commander Boyd.
Regina is currently en route to the Arabian Sea region where she will take part in the maritime security operations as part of Operation Artemis. After a four-month stint, Regina will call at Mumbai by January 2013, the officials said.
The officials from the Royal Canadian Navy met the personnel from the Indian Navy at the Southern Naval Command. The officials also met the Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) school here.
HMCS Regina is a Halifax-class frigate with a crew of 250 members, including an embarked CH-124 Sea King helicopter detachment and a ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle.
HMCS Regina is replacing her sister vessel- HMCS Charlottetown- who will begin the transit home after its international deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas since April. During her deployment, Charlottetown disrupted the exchange of illicit cargo between a dhow and a smaller skiff in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Yemen in May 2012.
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