Her Majesty’s Canadian Submarine (HMCS) Corner Brook diesel-electric submarine (SSK) will become the first of the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) four Victoria-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK) to be equipped with a new modern mast system. The HMCS Corner Brook is currently stationed in the purpose-built repair facility dock at Victoria Shipyards as workers from Babcock Canada install the L3 Calzoni Universal Modular Mast (UMM). The system, similar to the one fitted in the United States Navy Virginia-class submarines, was acquired under the United States Foreign Military Sales program.
Masts are vital to the functioning of any submarine. In Canada’s diesel-powered submarines they provide air supply, communications, radar and periscope capability. The current technological shortfall for Canadian submarines – the lack of a reliable high-speed satellite data link. What the UMM when coupled with the Protected Military Satellite Communication (PMSC) antenna will do is provide near real-time high-speed communications with shore. This will allow for improved picture and video transmission, and quicker transmission of messages, therefore reducing counter-detection opportunities as the submarine will spend less time with its mast out of the water.
The new equipment will also include the ability to “plug-and-play” a Communications Intercept Suite antenna that will provide the class that capability. This is because the UMM has two multi-purpose ports, like data ports on a computer. This will enable other antennas and intelligence gathering equipment to be swapped in and out to better suit the needs of a specific deployment or changing technology. It improves the Victoria class as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform,” said Cdr Mangin. “It increases our utility so much – the upgrades to the comms fit that UMM enables can be compared to using an old dial-up modem to one of today’s high-speed modems.”
Corner Brook travelled from its home port of Halifax for the contractor conducted extended docking work period and work is expected to be completed in 2020. Work is expected to begin on the UMM installation in HMCS Chicoutimi in 2019, with subsequent work to be performed on HMCS Victoria and HMCS Windsor. The plan is to have all four submarines retrofitted with the new equipment by 2026.
