HMCS Corner Brook
HMCS Corner Brook (SSK 878) is a Victoria-class hunter-killer submarine of the Royal Canadian Navy, designed for long-range underwater operations including anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering. Originally built as HMS Ursula for the Royal Navy's Upholder class, she measures 70.3 metres in length, displaces 2,168 tonnes on the surface and 2,455 tonnes submerged, and is armed with six 533-mm torpedo tubes capable of launching torpedoes or missiles.[1][2] With a crew of approximately 49, she achieves speeds of up to 12 knots surfaced and 20 knots submerged, and her homeport is Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt in British Columbia.[1][2] Launched on February 22, 1991, by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders in Birkenhead, England, the vessel was commissioned into the Royal Navy on May 8, 1992, before being decommissioned on June 16, 1994, as part of the UK's fleet reduction. Canada acquired her in 1998 as part of a deal to purchase four Upholder-class submarines at a nominal cost, renaming her Corner Brook after the city in Newfoundland and Labrador; she was formally handed over on February 21, 2003, and commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on June 29, 2003.[2][1] Early in her Canadian service, Corner Brook underwent modernization upgrades by 2006 and participated in key operations, including NATO Exercise Noble Warrior in 2007, Operation Nanook in the Arctic in 2007 and 2009 for sovereignty patrols, and Operation Caribbe counter-narcotics missions in 2008 and 2011, earning a unit commendation on May 23, 2008, for her contributions to multinational efforts.[1][2] Corner Brook's operational history has been marked by significant challenges, including a grounding incident on June 4, 2011, during training exercises near Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island, which shattered her sail and caused extensive damage, leading to an Extended Docking Work Period (EDWP) that began in July 2014. Complications arose during repairs, including a fire on April 1, 2019, while docked at CFB Esquimalt, and severe damage to a main ballast tank in 2020 due to a botched pressure test at Victoria Shipyards, extending the refit to over a decade at a cost of approximately $690 million for upgrades to sonar, communications, and other systems, plus $20 million for initial grounding repairs.[1][3][4] After these setbacks, Corner Brook returned to sea trials in April 2025 from Burrard Dry Dock in North Vancouver, marking her re-entry into active service after 14 years sidelined, with plans to operate through the 2030s in support of Indo-Pacific security.[3] In mid-2025, she conducted a nearly two-month deployment under Operation Latitude in the north Pacific and western Arctic, collaborating with Canadian, U.S., and allied forces to defend sovereignty and deter threats, before returning to CFB Esquimalt on October 5, 2025.[5][6]Design
Specifications
The Upholder/Victoria-class submarines, such as HMCS Corner Brook, were designed with a diesel-electric propulsion system emphasizing quiet operation, long-range patrol capabilities, and advanced hydrodynamics for anti-submarine warfare roles in the Royal Navy. The single-hulled, teardrop-shaped design utilizes high-tensile steel construction to optimize underwater performance and reduce acoustic signatures.[7] Key technical specifications include the following:| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 2,168 tonnes surfaced; 2,455 tonnes submerged[1] |
| Dimensions | Length: 70.3 m; beam: 7.62 m; draught: 5.4 m[1] |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric: 2 × Paxman Valenta 16SZ diesel engines (each 2.7 MW / 3,620 hp); 1 × electric motor (5,400 shp / 4.0 MW); 1 × pump-jet propulsor[7] |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced; 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) submerged (classified as over 20 knots)[8] |
| Range | 10,000 nmi (18,500 km) at snorting depth; 8,000 nmi (14,800 km) at 8 kn (15 km/h) snorkeling[9] |
| Endurance | 56 days (8 weeks) patrol endurance[8] |
| Complement | 49[1] |