His Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Edmonton and Yellowknife returned to Halifax from Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG 1) in Eastern European waters. From July to October 2025, the ships, alongside their teams of clearance divers and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) operators, and a ten-person Mine Countermeasure team from the Royal Danish Navy embarked aboard HMCS Edmonton, served as part of the Operation REASSURANCE Maritime Task Force. Their contributions supported NATO’s maritime security and mine countermeasure efforts, reinforcing safety and stability in the region.
By contributing two Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs) to SNMCMG 1, part of NATO’s high readiness continuous at-sea presence, Canada demonstrates its continued commitment to Operation Reassurance. Their contributions mark the fourth time Canada has sent MCDVs to operate with NATO SNMCM Groups as part of Operation REASSURANCE.
“Welcome home to the sailors of HMCS Edmonton and Yellowknife. Deploying two Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels to Operation REASSURANCE highlights their versatility and unique capabilities, enhancing our presence at sea and enabling a wide range of specialized missions. I’m proud of the dedicated sailors who contributed to this operation and Standing NATO Maritime Forces. Their efforts strengthen our security during a time of global tension.”
– Rear-Admiral Josée Kurtz, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic“The return of HMCS Yellowknife marks the successful completion of another deployment of Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels as part of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group One. I’m incredibly proud of Yellowknife’s crew for their professionalism and dedication to our mission. I also extend heartfelt thanks to their families for their unwavering support throughout this deployment.”
– Lieutenant-Commander Jeffrey Smith, Commanding Officer, HMCS Yellowknife“The deployment of HMCS Edmonton with Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group One, as part of Operation REASSURANCE, showcased the exceptional skill and dedication of its crew. Their ability to seamlessly integrate with our Allies reflects the professionalism and adaptability that define Canadian sailors. This mission also demonstrated the Royal Canadian Navy’s capability and readiness to support both the Canadian Armed Forces and our international partners including the embarked Royal Danish Navy Mine Countermeasure team who we had the pleasure of operating and sharing best practices with during the operation. Bravo Zulu to the crew for their outstanding work. I also extend sincere thanks to their families, whose support makes these deployments possible.”
– Lieutenant-Commander Jason Pike, Commanding Officer, HMCS Edmonton
ADDITIONAL INFO
- SNMCMG1 is one of NATO’s four standing maritime forces and specializes in mine countermeasures and explosive ordnance disposal in European waters.
- Operation REASSURANCE is Canada’s largest overseas military operation, supporting NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in Central and Eastern Europe since 2014.
- HMCS Edmonton and Yellowknife are Kingston-class MCDVs with a ship’s company of approx. 45 personnel of all ranks. They are a modular platform which can accommodate several types of mission specific payloads, such as a mechanical minesweeping system, a route survey system, and a bottom object inspection vehicle.
- The MCDVs’ deployment supports the military activities undertaken by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to support NATO assurance measures through the provision of military capabilities for training, exercises, demonstrations and assigned NATO tasks.
