Kingston-class
Summary
| Origin country | 🇨🇦 Canada |
| Category | Frigate |
| Subtype | Coastal defence vessel |
| Manufacturer | Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Year commissioned | 1996 |
| Units | Royal Canadian Navy: 12 in commission |
| Current operators | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Description
The Kingston class is a group of 12 coastal defense vessels serving the Royal Canadian Navy and stems from the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project (MCDV). These vessels, which began launching in the mid-1990s, perform a variety of duties including training reservists, coastal patrol, minesweeping, law enforcement, pollution surveillance, and search and rescue operations. They boast a combination crew of Naval Reserve and Regular Force personnel.
The origins of the Kingston class vessels tie back to the late 1980s with the aging of Canadian Forces Naval Reserve training ships and the need for a dedicated mine warfare capacity, given that the new Halifax-class frigates were not suited for inshore duties. Political forces also influenced the development, as the government wished to sustain shipbuilding efforts and the programme was used to address demands for increasing French representation in the armed forces. Adopted under the 1987 "Total Force" concept, the MCDV project aimed to compensate for reductions in regular forces by enhancing reserve capabilities.
The design of the Kingston class had to meet five criteria: affordability in construction and operation, Canadian-built, operational by naval reservists, role flexibility, and based on a design similar to the Royal Navy's River-class minesweeper. A mixed construction between commercial and naval standards was adopted for cost-efficiency. The vessels were found top-heavy during sea trials and received additional ballast.
Armament initially included a Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun and two 12.7 mm machine guns. The Bofors were removed in 2014 and replaced with remote-controlled weapon station trials, including the OTO Melara 12.7 mm RCHMG and Rheinmetall's Nanuk .50 calibre RCWS. The ships also come equipped with degaussing systems to counter magnetic mines, although only the first three have an integrated control system for this purpose.
Kingston class vessels possess a modular payload system, allowing for the addition of different mission packages depending on the task at hand. These range from dive systems to heavy-duty sonar equipment and remotely operated vehicles. They also have deployable Boeing Insitu ScanEagle UAVs following successful trials.
A modernization review resulted in discarding proposed mid-life refit plans worth $100 million. It concluded that these funds would be better allocated towards new platforms. Notably, the size and speed limitations of the Kingston class meant they were deemed inadequate for prolonged patrol duties.
The construction of the Kingston class ships was contracted to Halifax Shipyards with steel cutting beginning in December 1993. All 12 ships became active by July 1999. Distributed between east and west coasts, one ship on each coast is always ready for rapid deployment.
Throughout their career, Kingston class vessels have been involved in various operations, both domestic and international. They have participated in drug interception missions in the Caribbean Sea and Arctic sovereignty patrols, as well as training and goodwill visits to West Africa and Europe. Despite a brief consideration to place half of them in extended readiness in 2010, they remain active and fully commissioned.
Technical specifications
| Kingston | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 970 tons |
| Range | 9000 km |
| Crew | 47 members |
| Width | 11.3 m (37.1 ft) |
| Length | 55.31 m (181.5 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 Jeumont DC electric motors |
| Armament | 1 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 Mk 5C cannon |
| Maximum speed | 15 knots |