Hero-class patrol vessel

The Hero-class patrol vessels, previously the Mid-Shore Patrol Vessel Project, are a series of nine patrol boats being constructed by the Halifax Shipyards for the Canadian Coast Guard. Delivery is scheduled for 2011 through 2013.

Naming
Each of the nine Hero-class patrol vessels will be named after personnel from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP officers), Canadian Coast Guard (sailors, aircrew), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (fisheries officers) and Canadian Forces (soldiers, sailors, aircrew) who are credited with performing exceptional or heroic acts during their service.


 * CCGS Private Robertson V.C., after Canadian Army soldier Private James Peter Robertson, V.C.
 * CCGS Caporal Kaeble V.C., after Canadian Army soldier Corporal Joseph Kaeble, V.C.
 * CCGS Corporal Teather C.V., after Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Corporal Robert Gordon Teather, C.V.
 * CCGS Constable Carrière, after Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Constable J.L. François Carrière
 * CCGS G. Peddle, after Canadian Coast Guard Chief Officer Gregory Paul Peddle, S.C.
 * CCGS Corporal McLaren M.M.V., after Canadian Army soldier Corporal Mark Robert McLaren, M.M.V.
 * CCGS A. LeBlanc, after DFO Fishery Officer Agapit LeBlanc
 * CCGS M. Charles, after Canadian Coast Guard Seaman Martin Charles, M.B.
 * CCGS Captain Goddard M.S.M., after Canadian Army soldier Captain Nichola Goddard, M.S.M.

Vessel design
The initial Mid Shore Patrol Vessel Project centred on medium-sized patrol boats of 37 to 42 m in length, operating up to 120 nmi offshore at a maximum speed of 25 kn. Each vessel would carry one or two rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) and have accommodation for nine CCG personnel as well as two Department of Fisheries and Oceans or RCMP officers. The vessels were originally designed to be equipped with a stern launching ramp, allowing RHIBs to be launched and retrieved while the vessel was in motion. Canadian Coast Guard versions will have a single point davit launching arrangement instead.

The final designs for Hero-class vessels are based on those of the Damen Stan 4207 patrol vessel, which will support a crew of nine, including up to four RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency or Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) officers. Each vessel will be approximately 43 metres in length, have a top speed of 25 kn and a range of 2000 nmi, and be able to stay at sea for two weeks without replenishing supplies.

According to the CBC News on November 13, 2012, Canadian Minister of Defence Peter MacKay announced that Canada was considering arming the Hero-class vessels, during a speech he delivered at the launch of the CCGS Caporal Kaeble V.C., the second vessel of the class. MacKay said the Organization of American States had suggested Canada reconsider arming Canadian Coast Guard vessels to help counter the drug trade and people smuggling. CCG vessels have never been armed before, while, occasionally, when carrying elements of the RCMP, the mounties have carried small arms. A Senate committee recommended CCG vessels should be armed. Michael Byers, a law professor and commentator on Arctic sovereignty and maritime law has argued that CCG vessels should have the "quiet authority of a deck-mounted gun".

Employment
The main task for these vessels will be for maritime security and fisheries enforcement off Canada's Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Secondary tasks will be marine search and rescue and marine pollution control. Four of the vessels are planned to provide security on the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence Seaway. Because the vessels will replace eight older vessels, the CCG fleet will increase by only one vessel.

A paper addressing the stability of high-speed patrol vessels, in high seas, co-written by naval engineers from Damen Group, was delivered at the High Performance Marine Vehicles Symposium in November 2009. The paper compared two hull designs, which the paper called the enlarged ship concept and the axe bow concept. The paper called the Damen Stan 4207 design, the underlying design chosen for the Hero class, the first example of the enlarged ship concept. According to the paper, the new axe bow design's bow rudder and vertical stem would give it improved safety in stern quartering seas. The Damen Stan 4207 vessels do not have the "axe bow" with bow rudder or a "vertical stem".

Procurement history
In 2006, the Government of Canada under Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised to continue the Mid Shore Patrol Vessel Project initiated by the government of former Prime Minister Paul Martin that envisioned eight vessels; however, no funding was provided. The 19 March 2007 Federal Budget committed $324 million to build the eight mid shore patrol vessels (previously announced), as well as the two offshore fisheries science vessels (previously announced) and an additional four mid shore patrol vessels. This would have created a class with a total of 12 mid shore patrol vessels.

On 25 March 2008, in an announcement that cancelled the bidding process for the Joint Support Ship Project for Canadian Forces Maritime Command, the Government of Canada placed the coast guard's Mid Shore Patrol Vessel Project on hold due to bids that were significantly higher than budgeted allocations.

The CCG submitted a modified vessel design based on reduced capabilities and cost. On 26 February 2009, the Government of Canada reissued a call for bids for 12 mid shore patrol vessels.

On 2 September 2009, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister of National Defence announced that nine mid shore patrol vessels were being ordered from Halifax Shipyard for a cost of $194 million.