Since their acquisition in the mid-1960 s, our fleet of three Oberon submarines have protected Canada by patrolling its waters and training our sailors and aircrew so that they can face the threat of hostile submarines. Today, despite the end of the Cold War, submarines are still used by over 40 nations, some of whom are our partners in collective security, some who are not. Presently our naval personnel are called to operate in an even more complex world where unstable countries menace Canada and its allies with relatively inexpensive and menacing submarines. As an example, Vice-Admiral Garnett mentions that Canadian ships and aircrafts that enforced the United Nations sanctions against the Former Yugoslavia had to face the threat of Serbian diesel submarines. Canada s Oberon submarines are also involved in the antisubmarine training of our allies.
Training is but one of the many roles accomplished by our submarines.
The stealth and mobility of these vessels, when coupled with today s modern technology, makes the submarine a very cost-effective instrument to keep watch over large areas of the ocean. In a conflict scenario, the submarine can stay on patrol for 40 to 45 days and monitor the movement of vessels above and below the water. It can also participate in the interception of suspicious shipping. Canadian submarines also play an important role in defending our country against drug smuggling and illegal fishing. In the summer of 1992, one of Canada s Oberon s, HMCS Ojibwa, displayed her unmatched covert surveillance skills when she participated in one of the largest drug busts in Canadian history.