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Supply Ship - Protecteur Class
About the Ship
These ships replenish Task Groups at sea with food, munitions, fuel, spare parts and other supplies. They also have large medical and dental facilities. Using their large capacity and extended range, our Task Groups can stay at sea for longer, and go further.
Launched 1969-1969.
Speed: 20 knots
Endurance: 4,100 nautical miles at 20 knots, 7,500 nautical miles at 11.5 knots
Complement: 365 (including air detachment).
Range: 7,500 nautical miles
Top of PageInterior
Bridge
The ship is navigated and steered from the bridge. It is always fully staffed when the ship is at sea. From here, the Officer of the Watch gives commands to the helmsman, the lookouts, and the communicators and coordinates various activities around the ship.
Sickbay / Operating Theatre
As a direct result of deploying in potentially dangerous operations, as well as for routine emergencies, the Task Group must be able to perform short notice, lifesaving surgery. The AORs carry a fully qualified Doctor and supporting staff that are supplied with many state of the art surgical tools. A dental team is also embarked for similar processes.
Storage Holds and Elevator
The AORs are fitted with four very large walk-in fridges and can carry a wide variety of other cargo. (Dry foodstuffs, general cargo, parts and ammunition). They have 2 elevators moving cargo between the 4 storage decks and the Dispersal Area where they are transferred to other ships via Replenishment at Sea RAS).
Oil Tanks and Transfer Controls
AORs carry large quantities of fuel, for use by ships as well as helicopters. These are kept in many separate tanks allowing for transfer of liquid cargo as well as for internal ship stability. This method also ensures that any contamination of a fuel compartment can be contained and isolated.
Engine Room
It is within the engine and boiler room that many of the various pumps, motors and steam plants are operated. All of these systems work in conjunction to supply the pressurized steam required to power the single propeller and drive the ship to its maximum speed of 21 knots.
Sea King Hangar
The hangar is capable of housing up to 3 Sea King helicopters as well as the equipment required by the maintenance. With no Helo Haul-Down system, the helicopters are monitored, launched and recovered under the supervision/direction of the Landing Safety Officer (LSO) and the Flight Deck Controller (FLYCO).
Armaments and Countermeasures
PHALANX Weapons Systems
PHALANX 20mm (CIWS)
Mk 15 Close-In Weapon System
This weapon’s gun assembly consists of a 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan Gatling-principle gun. The M61A1 Vulcan is a six-barreled weapon capable of phenomenally high rates of fire (3000 rds/min). The entire system is capable of dealing with high-angle driving missiles. It also has surface engagement capability. This latter characteristic was developed to meet a perceived requirement for a high-volume-of-fire weapon to engage small high-speed, highly-maneuverable boats, helicopters and low-performance fixed-wing aircraft. The system equips Halifax class frigates (1/ship), Iroquois class destroyers (1/ship) and Protecteur class replenishment ships (2/ship).
.50 Calibre Machine Guns
.50 Calibre Machine Guns
M2 Heavy Calibre Machine Gun (12.7mm / .5 in)
The M2 .50 machine gun (MG) has been used both for surface engagements and air defence since the Second World War. This air –cooled weapon tends to be used in patrol, mine countermeasures, landing, riverine and major auxiliary vessels and, as such, equips the Kingston class MCDVs (2 MGs/ship). However, larger warships such as our Navy’s Halifax class frigates, Iroquois class destroyers and Protecteur class replenishment ships have them as a regular part of the ship’s armament (8, 6, and 6 MGs/ship respectively). The M2 .50 MG has a practical rate of fire of 550 rds/min.
Sea King Helicopter
Sea King Helicopter
Sikorski CH-124 ASW Heltas Sea King
This shipborne helicopter is capable of ASW, surface surveillance and support. In these roles, it is carried by escort ships and replenishment ships (Halifax class frigates carry 1 helicopter, Iroquois class destroyers carry 2 and Protecteur class replenishment ships carry 3). The Sea King’s operational speed is 203 km/h. Its service ceiling is 5,150 m and its range is 760 km. It is equipped with two Mk 46 Mod 5 torpedoes and can carry 12.7 mm MGs. Some of these aircrafts have been modified for Forward-Looking Infra-Red or FLIR (typically a fixed-direction narrow field of view system, with a display for the user).
Loral Hycor SRBOC
Loral Hycor Chaff Launchers
36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures
The Mk 36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures (Super RBOC) Chaff launching system comprises of six launchers on this class, (3 Port/3 Stbd) (2 each side bridge top and 1 aft each side on the hangar top), for use when conducting Anti-Ship missile defence.
NORDEN SPS-502 Radar
NORDEN SPS-502
Surface Search Radar (with Mk XII IFF)
This G-band medium range Surface Search Radar is capable of providing accurate data to the ships Combat Information Center for navigation.
Special Equipment
Exterior Bridge
The PROTECTEUR class is equipped to be navigated from both the enclosed bridge and the open Pilotage position. This is especially convenient during deployments in tropical areas. From here, the Officer of the Watch (OOW) can visually fix and plot the ship’s position at the chart table as well as give helm and engine orders to the Quartermaster.
Refueling Gear and Hoses
As you can see, the ship has the ability to refuel (both ship and helo fuel) simultaneously on both sides. Initially, a small line (Light Messenger) is sent to the receiving ship. A steel Span Wire is then passed to the receiving ship and connected to the superstructure. The black hoses are then spread out and connected to their fuel tanks. Fuel is then transferred at about 475 cubic meters per hour. All of this while the three ships are approximately 30 meters apart.
Fuel Connections
The AOR is capable of transferring pretty much any liquid, including fresh water. The various types of liquids are identified using a colour code system. For example, ship fuel is transferred from the bright yellow connector.
Fire Fighting Equipment
The ship is equipped with a vast array of Damage Control and Fire Fighting equipment. Seen here is a water cannon capable of spreading a coat of Aqueous Film Forming Foam over the entire Flight Deck. This foam is specifically designed to fight liquid fuel fires and prevent re-ignition of the blaze.
Class Data
Overview
HMCS PRESERVER is base in Halifax, NS, while HMCS PROTECTEUR is based at Esquimait, BC. These ships replenish Task Groups at sea with food, munitions, fuel, spare parts and other supplies. They also have large medical and dental facilities. Using their large capacity and extended range, our Task Groups can stay at sea for longer, and go further.
Launched 1969-1969.
HMCS PRESERVER is based at Halifax, NS, while HMCS PROTECTEUR is based on the west coast, at Esquimalt, BC. These ships replenish Task Groups at sea with food, munitions, fuel, spare parts and other supplies. They also have larger medical and dental facilities than the frigates and destroyers. With their capacity and extended 7500 nautical mile range, our Task Groups can stay at sea for longer, and travel further.
Essential Support to the Fleet and the Canadian Forces
The AORs have been used in the War in the Persian Gulf and during UN operations off Somalia and Haiti. They occasionally serve as Task Force or Group command ships, as PROTECTEUR did during her time off East Timor in 1999. They also support multi-national units in combined operations, NATO exercises and a variety of other deployments. They have limited capacities as troop carriers, but can embark vehicles, landing craft and up to three medium/heavy helicopters.
Floating supermarkets
The ships can carry an enormous amount of supplies, including 14590 tons of fuel, 400 tons of aviation fuel, 1000 tons of dry cargo and 1250 tons of ammunition. They transfer stores to other ships during what is known as a Replenishment at Sea (RAS). Two ships come alongside the tanker simultaneously and hook up lines and re-fuelling hoses while underway. With three ships totaling 35000 tons traveling on parallel courses just a few feet apart, the operation is not without its potential dangers and careful watch-keeping is required to keep each ship in its proper station. But the navy is thoroughly familiar with this evolution to the point that it is almost routine.
The Specs
Type: Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment Vessel
Displacement: 24,700 tonnes (full load)
Length: 171.9 metres Beam: 23.2 metres
Draught: 10.1 metres
Engine: Single shaft General Electric steam turbine producing 21,000 shaft horsepower.
Primary navigation (left column)
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