Royal Canadian Navy Destroyers (Iroquois Class), HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280), HMCS Huron (DDG 281), HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282), and HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283), 1972-2017

Royal Canadian Navy Destroyers (Iroquois Class)

HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280), HMCS Huron (DDG 281), HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282), and HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283), 1972-2017.

HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280)

(dirtsc Photo)

HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280) at Port of Hamburg, near Övelgönne

HMCS Iroquois was the lead ship of the Iroquois-class destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy, also known as the Tribal class or the 280 class. The second vessel to carry the name, she carried the hull number DDG 280. Entering service in 1972 she was assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and was homeported at CFB Halifax. Iroquois was deployed overseas for blockade and anti-terrorism duties, including participating in Operation Apollo in 2002–03. Taken out of service in 2014 and paid off in 2015.

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

HMCS Huron (DDG 281)

(USN Photo)

HMCS Huron (DDG 281) steams slowly through the Pacific Ocean where she is operating with other forces for exercise "Tandem Thrust '99".

HMCS Huron was an Iroquois-class destroyer that served with the Canadian Forces from 16 December 1972 to 23 October 2000. She served mainly on the western coast of Canada. After decommissioning, her hull was stripped to be used in a live-fire exercise. The ship's hulk was eventually sunk by gunfire from her sister ship, HMCS Algonquin. Huron was the second ship of her class and the second vessel to use the designation HMCS Huron.

HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282)

(Torphoto)

HMCS Athabaskan was an Iroquois-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1972 until 2017. Athabaskan was 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 on 30 September 1972 and carries the hull classification symbol 282.Athabaskan completed a refit known as the Tribal 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 was assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) homeported at CFB Halifax.

HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283)

(USN Photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jayme Pastoric)

HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283) is shown underway in close formation with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Algonquin just completed an eight-ship photo exercise with Stennis just prior to participation in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2004. RIMPAC is the largest international maritime exercise in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands. This years exercise will include seven participating nations; Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, Britain and the United States. RIMPAC is intended to enhance the tactical proficiency of participating units in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while enhancing stability in the Pacific Rim region.

HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283) was an Iroquois-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) from 1973 to 2015.Algonquin was the fourth ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal class or the 280 class. She is the second vessel to use the designation HMCS Algonquin. Algonquin carried the hull classification symbol DDG.Algonquin was originally designed to be primarily an anti-submarine destroyer. The Iroquois-class destroyers were the first ships in the Royal Canadian Navy (other than the Protecteur class) to carry multiple helicopters, and were the first ships to be powered entirely by gas turbines in a COGOG (Combined Gas Or Gas) arrangement. Algonquin underwent a major refit called the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Program (TRUMP) from 1987 to 1991 and emerged as an area air defence destroyer. She was assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) and was homeported at CFB Esquimalt.

(USN Photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jayme Pastoric)

HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283) is shown underway in close formation with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and the guided missile frigate USS Ford (FFG 54). Algonquin is participating in an eight-ship photo exercise just prior to participation in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2004. RIMPAC is the largest international maritime exercise in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands. This years exercise will include seven participating nations; Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, Britain and the United States. RIMPAC is intended to enhance the tactical proficiency of participating units in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while enhancing stability in the Pacific Rim region.