HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280)

HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280) is an Iroquois-class destroyer that has served the Canadian Forces since 1972. Iroquois is the lead ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal-class or simply as the 280-class. She is the second vessel to use the designation HMCS Iroquois. She carries the hull classification symbol 280. She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax.

Her current Commanding Officer is Commander Matthew Coates, Executive Officer: Lieutenant-Commander Blair Saltel, and Coxswain: Chief Petty Officer First Class Duncan Elbourne.

Role
Iroquois is an area air defence destroyer. She serves on MARLANT missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic Ocean and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone.

Iroquois has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean; specifically the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on anti-terrorism operations. She has also deployed on counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean Basin.

Iroquois 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).

History
Since the formation of the Naval Service of Canada in 1910, renamed Royal Canadian Navy in 1911, two Canadian naval vessels have carried the name HMCS Iroquois.

The first ship to bear the name Iroquois was a Tribal-class destroyer that was built in the United Kingdom and served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. She was commissioned on November 30, 1942, and much of her service was spent in the North Atlantic, hunting German U-boats and escorting Allied convoys in the Battle of the Atlantic. She went out of service after the war, on February 22, 1946, only to be reactivated in October 1951 for service in the Korean War. On October 2, 1952, Iroquois was hit by enemy shore batteries, killing three and wounding ten. These were the only Royal Canadian Navy casualties of the Korean War. She was decommissioned on October 24, 1962.

The present Iroquois is the second ship to bear the name. The flagship of Maritime Forces Atlantic, Iroquois was commissioned on July 29, 1972, the first of four Iroquois-class destroyers, the modern Tribal-class. In 1992, she completed the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project (TRUMP) refit, transforming her into a modern area air defence platform with state of the art weapons, sensors, and command and control systems. Canadian designed and maintained, Iroquois is based in Halifax, N.S. and has two sister ships: HMCS Athabaskan, also based in Halifax, and HMCS Algonquin, based in Esquimalt, B.C. The fourth Iroquois-class destroyer, HMCS Huron, was decommissioned in 2003.

Timeline

 * 1969, Jan 15: laid down at Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel QC.


 * 1970, Nov 28: launched.


 * 1972, Jul 29: officially commissioned into the CF.


 * 1972 - 1992: Participates in more than 40 major exercises and 6 Standing Naval Force Atlantic Deployments.


 * 1983, Dec 4: Destroyer HMCS Iroquois responded to assist HO MING 5, Panamanian-registered-freighter, 11 crew removed by Sea King, and 9 by Zodiac in high seas and gale force winds. 12 crewmembers awarded Star of Courage, and 6 others Medal of Bravery.


 * 1989, Nov 1: Destroyer HMCS Iroquois commenced TRUMP refit Marine Industries Ltd Sorel QC.


 * 1992, Jul 3: Completed Tribal Class Update and Modernization Project(TRUMP) refit. At this time her classification changed from Destroyer Helicopter (DDH) to Destroyer Guided Missile (DDG).


 * 1993, Sep 25: Destroyer HMCS Iroquois departed Halifax for Operation Sharp Guard off Yugoslavia.


 * 1994, Apr 15: Frigate HMCS Halifax commenced blockade duties off Yugoslavia relieving HMCS Iroquois.


 * 2000, Oct 8: Norfolk.


 * 2001, Oct 17: HMC ships Preserver, Iroquois and Charlottetown depart Halifax for anti-terrorism duty in Arabian Sea.


 * 2001, Oct 29: Gibraltar.


 * 2001, Nov 20: HMCS Preserver, Iroquois and Charlottetown arrive in Arabian Sea for Operation Apollo.


 * 2002, Jan 18: Bahrain.


 * 2002, Apr 10: Suez Canal.


 * 2002, Apr 27: Supply ship HMCS Preserver and destroyer HMCS Iroquois returned to Halifax from Operation Apollo, Arabian Sea deployed for 193 days during which she spent 171 days at sea, including 51 days consecutively. Traveled approx 44,000 n/m, transferred 1,380 cargo pellets, or 203,192 kg and almost 27m liters of fuel. Conducted 120+ RAS with ships from Canada, US, France, Australia, UK, Netherlands and Italy. Carried more than 1,000 hailings and two boardings.


 * 2002: CTF 150 established.


 * 2002, Nov 7: Halifax.


 * 2003, Feb 24: 2003 - HMCS Iroquois departs Halifax to assume duties as flagship of Task Force 151, the multi-national maritime intercept force in the Persian Gulf region.


 * 2003, Feb 27: Sea King helicopter crashes on flight deck of HMCS Iroquois three days after departing Halifax to become flagship of multi-national Task Force 151 in Persian Gulf region. Two of the four helicopter crewmembers sustained minor injuries in the crash. Iroquois forced to return to Halifax.


 * 2003, Mar 1: Halifax.


 * 2003, Mar 5: Destroyer HMCS Iroquois and frigate Fredericton depart Halifax for Persian Gulf.


 * 2003, Mar 13: Gibraltar.


 * 2003, Mar 20: Augusta.


 * 2003, Jul 12: Valletta.


 * 2003, Jul 19: Gibraltar.


 * 2003, Jul 26: St. John's.


 * 2003, Jul 27: Destroyer HMCS Iroquois arrived St. John's from Operation Apollo. 1,200 vessels were stopped and 44 were inspected.


 * 2003, Jul 29: Halifax.


 * 2003, Sep 26: Halifax.


 * 2003, Dec 5: Halifax.


 * 2004, Jan: Operation Altair starts.


 * 2005, Oct 29: Boston.


 * 2006, Aug 24: Brest (International Squadron).


 * 2006, Sep 1: Aarhus (International Squadron.)


 * 2006, Sep 20: Solent (International Squadron.


 * 2006, Sep 20: Plymouth Sound (International Squadron).


 * 2006, Sep 28: Rota (International Squadron).


 * 2006, Oct 10: Souda Bay (International Squadron).


 * 2006, Nov 22: Palma de Majorca (International Squadron).


 * 2006, Nov 30: The rudder fell off Mayport-based frigate USS Boone while on deployment in the western Mediterranean. The mishap forced the ship to send out a call for help to which Canadian destroyer HMCS Iroquois responded, providing divers who inspected the ship’s underside.


 * 2006, Dec 10: Casablanca.


 * 2006, Dec 17: Halifax.


 * 2007, Apr: Morrison arrives as Coxswain.


 * 2007, May 5: Boston.


 * 2007, Jun: Captain Brendan Ryan assumes command.


 * 2007, Oct 18: Sydney, N.S.


 * 2007, Dec 6: Boston.


 * 2008, Apr 19: Embarks on way to Caribbean.


 * 2008, Apr 27: Caribbean transit.


 * 2008, Apr 30: arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico.


 * 2008, Apr 30: rendezvous with HMCS "Calgary", HMCS "Protecteur"


 * 2008, May 13: Malaga.


 * 2008, May 13–18: trains with several allied nations, transiting through Mediterranean Sea.


 * 2008, May 17: in multinational ASW scenario.


 * 2008, May 23: delegation visits Croatian hospital.


 * 2008, June 3: Canada's Commodore Bob Davidson takes over CTF 150. Iroquois becomes CTF 150's flagship.


 * 2008, Jun-Sep: CTF 150 make 190 visits to vessels, carry out 4 operations, involved in 9 rescue efforts.


 * 2008, Jun 23: Gulf of Oman, off the coast of Iran


 * 2008, Aug 4 - Sep 5: In theatre.


 * 2008, Aug 6-8: stopover in Karachi, Pakistan.


 * 2008, Aug 22: Operationg as part of CTF 150.


 * 2008, Sep 15: Iroquois helps disrupt pirate attack.


 * 2008, Sep 15: Manama (CTF Change Command).


 * 2008, Sep 16: Denmark's Commodore Chirstensen takes over CTF 150. Iroquois docked at Mina Salman.


 * 2008, Sep: Iroquois, Calgary, Protecteur begin journey back to Canada. Iroquois travels via Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Aden, Suez Canal while the other ships continue East, visiting India and Malaysia en route to Victoria.


 * 2008, Oct 20: Iroquois visits St. John's, N.L.


 * 2008, Oct 23: Iroquois returns home.


 * 2009, Jan: Commander Réal Brisson assumes command.


 * 2009, July: Iroquois visits Bermuda.


 * 2012, May: Iroquois visits Brooklyn, NY, USA for Fleet Week.


 * 2012, June: Iroquois visits Baltimore, MD, USA for Star Spangled Sailabration.


 * 2012, July: Iroquois visits Boston, MA, USA for Fleet Week and OpSail2012.


 * 2013, April: Iroquois visits Canary Wharf, London.


 * 2013, May 3–7: Iroquois visits Le Havre, France.


 * 2013, May 9–12: Iroquois visits Hamburg, Germany during 824th harbour birthday.


 * 2013, May 24–28: Iroquois visits Liverpool, UK during the 70th Commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic.