HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282)

HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282) is an Iroquois-class destroyer that has served the Canadian Forces since 1972.

Athabaskan is the third ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal-class or simply as the 280-class. She is the third vessel to use the designation HMCS Athabaskan.

Athabaskan was laid down on 1 June 1969 at Davie Shipbuilding, Lauzon and was launched on 27 November 1970. She was officially commissioned into the CF on 30 September 1972 and carries the hull classification symbol 282.

Athabaskan completed a refit known as the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project (TRUMP) on 4 June 1994. At this time her classification changed from Destroyer Helicopter (DDH) to Destroyer Guided Missile (DDG).

She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax.

Command team

 * Commanding Officer: Commander Mathias Plaschka
 * Executive Officer: Lieutenant Commander Chris Nucci
 * Coxswain: Chief Petty Officer 1st Class David Steeves

Service
Athabaskan serves on MARLANT missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic Ocean and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone. She has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean; specifically, the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea after Iraq occupied Kuwait.

NATO missions in Atlantic Ocean
Athabaskan has also participated in several NATO missions, patrolling the Atlantic Ocean as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and its successor Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1).

Iraq–Kuwait war in Persian Gulf
In August 1990, Athabaskan was hurriedly refitted with several advanced weapons for Operation FRICTION, the Canadian Forces' assistance to coalition Operation Desert Shield. The weapons included a Close-In Weapons System (CIWS).

Athabaskan was appointed flagship of the Canadian Naval Task Group, which included the destroyer HMCS Terra Nova (DDE 259) and supply ship HMCS Protecteur (AOR 509). The Task Group was sent to the central Persian Gulf, with other coalition naval forces, through the fall of 1990.

After Operation Desert Storm began in January 1991, the Task Group undertook escort duties for hospital ships and other vulnerable naval vessels of the coalition. The Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Princeton (CG-59) detonated two Iraqi bottom-moored influence mines (MANTAs) at the north end of the Persian Gulf and was seriously damaged. Athabaskan was not assigned to the area, but the commanding officer of Princeton specifically requested her assistance. Unlike most ships of her size, she could simultaneously operate two large CH-124 Sea King helicopters, which could search out mines for long periods. Athabaskan and her helicopters helped both ships avoid mines until the minesweeper USS Adroit escorted them out of the minefield. As a gesture of solidarity, Athabaskan winched over several cases of beer for the crew of Princeton, since United States Navy vessels were dry. Athabaskan returned to her Task Group and remained on station in the Persian Gulf until after the war ended. After the hostilities were complete she was relieved by her sister ship HMCS Huron (DDH 281).

Disaster relief in U.S.
On 2 September 2005, Athabaskan was one of several MARLANT vessels and a Canadian Coast Guard ship that were deployed to Mississippi and Louisiana to assist disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. This was part of the larger Canadian response to Hurricane Katrina.

Disaster relief in Haiti
On 14 January 2010, as part of Operation Hestia, following rapid outfitting Athabaskan and HMCS Halifax (FFH 330) were deployed to Haiti to assist with disaster relief efforts after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. This was as part of the larger multi-pronged Canadian response of DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team). The crew of the Athabaskan primarily concentrated relief efforts in the city of Léogâne where the crew assisted in triage efforts with the Canadian Medical Assistance Team, cleared rubble within Notre Dame Asylum, built three orphanages and lent aid to five others. Léogâne is a city of 135,000 that was slow to receive relief efforts and was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake. There were an estimated 20,000-30,000 casualties in the city.

Engine
In 2009, a man in Nova Scotia discovered one of the Athabaskan's pre-1994 refit engines in a shipping container he had been using as a bridge on his property. The man had bought the container for $400 believing it was empty. The engine was originally valued at $2 million.

Timeline

 * 1969, Jun 1: laid down
 * 1970, Nov 27: launched Lauzon PQ
 * 1972, Sep 30: commissioned
 * 1981, Nov 26: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan Sea King helicopter removed 44 people from oil rig Rowan Juneau off Sable Island in 60 knot winds and sea state 5 conditions.
 * 1990, Aug 24: refitted for Operation Friction, part of Operation Desert Shield
 * 1990, fall: sent to Persian Gulf
 * 1991, Jan: escort duties
 * 1991, Feb 18: Within three hours and ten nautical miles (19 km), USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and USS Princeton (CG-59) struck mines while conducting operations in the northern Persian Gulf. Ships lead out of danger by HMCS Athabaskan.
 * 1991, Apr: returns to Halifax for refit
 * 1991, Oct 15: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan arrived Sorel PQ for TRUMP modernization
 * 1994, Jun 4: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan completed TRUMP refit Marine Industries Ltd Sorel PQ
 * 1995, Oct 8: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan departed Halifax for South American UNITAS exercises.
 * 1999, Mar 15: Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan departed Halifax to Join STANAVFORLANT in Hamilton Bermuda.
 * 2000, Mar 9: New Orleans
 * 2004, Jun 24: Boston
 * 2004, Jun 28: Halifax
 * 2004, Sep 22: Halifax
 * 2004, Nov 8: HMC ships Athabaskan, HMCS St John's (FFH 340), HMCS Halifax (FFH 330) and HMCS Toronto (FFH 333), that formed part of Task Group 301.1, departed from their anchorages in Bedford Basin to rendezvous with the remainder of the Task Group. The ships were to participate in Combat Readiness Operations (CRO), one of the largest exercises led by the Canadian Navy in the last decade and the largest grouping of Canadian ships since Operation Apollo.
 * 2004, Nov 19: Norfolk
 * 2005, Mar 2: Nassau
 * 2005, May 28: New York (Fleet Week)
 * 2005, Sep 2: deployed to US Gulf Coast to assist disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
 * 2005, Sep 11: New Orleans
 * 2005, Sep 12: Pensacola
 * 2005, Sep 22: Norfolk
 * 2006, Jan 11: HMCS Athabaskan departed Halifax on a six-month deployment to join the Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group One (SNMG1) in Kiel.
 * 2006, Jan 19: Plymouth Sound
 * 2006, Jan 23: Kiel Canal (International Squadron). Flagship 25th.
 * 2006, Feb 5: off Denmark coast, Sea King trying to land crashes. No casualties or injuries
 * 2006, Feb 19: Valletta (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Mar 8: Malaga (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Mar 17: Den Helder (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Apr 13: Antwerp (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Apr 20: Devonport (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Apr 21: Warships moored at Devonport Naval Base commemorate the 80th birthday of the Queen. Foreign ships from the Standing Naval Maritime Group One (flagship HMCS Athabaskan) are also taking part. This is a squadron of eight to ten destroyers and frigates from across NATO countries that patrols mainly in the eastern Atlantic conducting joint training exercises. The group are currently taking part in Flag Officer Sea Training at Devonport.
 * 2006, Apr 28: Lisbon (International Squadron)
 * 2006, May 16: Rota (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Jun 6: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Jun 28: Cape Verde (International Squadron)
 * 2006, Jul 10: Halifax
 * 2006, Nov 20: Morehead City
 * 2008, Apr 11: Boston
 * 2008, summer: in Halifax for 5 weeks in summer
 * 2008, late Jun: leaves Halifax Harbour for a week of trials and drills
 * 2008, Jul 27: arrives in St. John's NL for 5 days of rest and festivities, including Canada Day
 * 2008, Oct 27: first successful sea trials with new laser-gyro INS
 * 2008, Nov 29: Boston
 * 2009, Feb 28: Bermuda
 * 2009, Mar 3: In ceremony aboard Athabaskan in Bermuda, Commodore Norman takes over Atlantic Fleet
 * 2009, May 20: New York (Fleet Week)
 * 2009, Aug 20: Cdr P. Crain takes command of HMCS Athabaskan
 * 2009, Sep 28: Exercise Joint Warrior off the coast of Scotland. Ship proceeds through Scapa Flow to pay respect to HMS Royal Oak.  Glasgow and Edinburgh port visits.
 * 2010, Jan 13: Prepares to deploy to Haiti in Canadian relief for an earthquake that had impacted on Jan 12.
 * 2010, Jan 14: Ship Sails from CFB Halifax en route to Haiti along with HMCS Halifax for humanitarian Operation HESTIA
 * 2010, Mar 17: Ship returns to Halifax.
 * 2010, May 6: Lt. Governor's Cruise to Sydney, NS to Celebrate Canadian Navy Centennial.
 * 2010, May 26: New York (Fleet Week)
 * 2010, Jun 29: HMCS Athabaskan is command ship for Queen Elizabeth II's review of International Fleet in Halifax Harbour as part of Canadian Navy Centennial celebrations.
 * 2010, Nov 1: Task Group Exercise 2-10, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Norfolk port visits.
 * 2010, Dec 17: Cdr Micheal Davie takes command of HMCS Athabaskan.
 * 2012, Apr 9: Currently docked outside of Seaway Marine and Industrial Limited, formerly known as the Port Weller Dry Docks in the Welland Canal in St. Catharines, Ontario.
 * 2012, late Dec: When being towed from St. Catharines back to Halifax, sustained hull damaged when ship broke loose near Scatarie off Cape Breton coast; now tied down in North Sydney
 * 2013, Jul 17: Boston
 * 2013, Sep 16: sea trials start