Launching of AOPS #2 and rumoured trials for AOPS #1

(Note: Since writing this, I have received some further input from Colin Darlington at RUSI(NS) which I am using to fix errors and incorporate into this post. All errors remain mine.)

With AOPS #1 (the future HMCS HARRY DEWOLF, AOPV 430) approaching completion and the start of her pre-acceptance trials, AOPS #2 (the future HMCS MARGARET BROOKE, AOPV 431) was rolled onto her launch platform, BoaBarg37, over the weekend at the Halifax Shipyard.

A note on convention: my personal convention here is to capitalize the names of commissioned naval vessels, while italicizing the names of non-commissioned and civilian vessels. While Harry DeWolf as been officially named, she is not yet commissioned. The future HMCS MARGARET BROOKE, on the other hand, has been neither named or commissioned and is likely properly referred to simply as AOPS2. 

With BoaBarge37 in position, the future HMCS MARGARET BROOKE (under the crane boom) sits on the hard at the shipyard, waiting to be backed onto the barge. Harry DeWolf is in the water at right.

AOPS2 was on the barge by 11:00 or so on Saturday.

The semi-submersible BoaBarge37 was then towed out into Bedford Basin, and AOPS2 was lowered into the water beginning early on Sunday morning. The latter was towed and returned to the pier alongside the shipyard during the morning.

AOPS2 (left) and Harry DeWolf (right) alongside at the Halifax Shipyard.

Closeup of AOPS2, the future HMCS MARGARET BROOKE.

Closeup of AOPS2, the future HMCS MARGARET BROOKE.

While the program to build these ships is referred to AOPS (Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship), the ships themselves will be classified as AOPV (Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel), and it is these latter letters that will be associated with the ship's pennant (or pendant) number (the number that appears painted on the hull of RCN vessels - for example, AOPV 430 for the future HMCS HARRY DEWOLF). The RCN currently uses different hundred-series pennant numbers for each class of ship:

1. 100 series: Mine Warfare (e.g. 1950s Bay-class, plus Anticosti-class auxiliary minesweeper)
2. 200 series: Destroyers
3. 300 series: Frigates
4. 400 series: Patrol (e.g. Harry DeWolf-class)
5. 500 series: Replenishment (Support) and Auxiliaries (harbour tugs)
6. 600 series: Harbour Support (diving tenders, etc.)
7. 700 series: Coastal Patrol (e.g. Kingston-class MM aka MCDV)
8. 800 series: Submarines

Cruisers and aircraft carriers (capital ships) have carried numbering under 100 for pennant numbers, as did HMCS LABRADOR. The Oberon class submarines also carried pennant numbers below 100, but would today bear 800-series numbers.

Though pennant numbers are sometimes referred to as "hull numbers", this is incorrect nomenclature for the RCN - as their hulls themselves are not numbered. The USN, by contrast, does use hull numbers - for instance, USS ARLEIGH BURKE (DDG-51), is indeed the 51st guided-missile destroyer (DDG) commissioned into the US Navy.

Closeup of HARRY DEWOLF.

Rumour has it that Harry DeWolf will soon begin trials. I am told by the folks at RUSI(NS) that trials for Royal Canadian Navy vessels now consist of Pre-Acceptance and Post-Acceptance trials.  Personally, while these may be correct, I find this to be somewhat less than specific without further component definitions. 

I should preface these following comments by stating that I have no inside knowledge whatsoever on the trials and acceptance process. 

I am assuming that Pre-Acceptance trials consist of both "Builder's Trials" (trials carried out by the shipyard to confirm all systems are operational and identifying deficiencies that need to be rectified in this and future ships) and "Acceptance Trials" (carried out under the supervision of the Owner to confirm the ship meets the agreed Statement of Requirements (SOR) to which the shipyard was contracted to build the ship to). If the "Acceptance Trials" are successful and the ship is judged to be compliant with the SOR with remaining defects numbering few to none, then presumably the ship is accepted  by the owner (i.e. the owner takes possession).

Post-Acceptance trials, I assume, would consist of operational trials undertaken by the Navy to train the crew, confirm (or write) operational procedures, and ensure the ship (as designed) can accomplish the missions intended for her. It is possible for a ship to entirely meet the Statement of Requirements laid down in the contract and yet still fail to be able to undertake her stated mission - in this case, it can be assumed that the Statement of Requirements itself is deficient.

Somewhere in the latter stages of this process, the ship needs to be commissioned before she can be referred to as Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) - hence the "future HMCS MARGARET BROOKE" nomenclature.

I look forward to seeing these ships underway in Halifax Harbour in the near future.