HMCS St. John’s completes final major readiness training ahead of 2027 deployment
By Trident Staff
His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) St. John’s has completed Intermediate Multi-Ship Readiness Training (IMSRT), bringing the ship one step closer to deploying as the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) in 2027.
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) frigate completed IMSRT at the conclusion of Exercise STRIKE WARRIOR 26-2, a multinational exercise held in Scotland and the North Atlantic approaches. IMSRT is the final all-ship readiness training the ship must complete before deploying under Operation REASSURANCE next year.
During the exercise, HMCS St. John’s operated alongside Allied naval forces as part of a multinational maritime task group, participating in anti-submarine warfare training, maritime security operations, air-maritime integration activities and command-and-control exercises.
The exercise brought together military personnel and capabilities from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom to strengthen interoperability and prepare forces for complex maritime operations.
“Exercise STRIKE WARRIOR tested our ship’s company in a demanding, realistic environment and demonstrated what can be achieved when Allied forces operate as one team,” said Commander Kyle Aubrey, commanding officer of HMCS St. John’s, in a news release. “HMCS St. John’s leaves this exercise sharper, more integrated, and ready to contribute wherever Canada and our Allies need us.”
The completion of IMSRT marks an important step in HMCS St. John’s’ preparations for its 2027 deployment as the flagship of SNMG2 under Operation REASSURANCE, Canada’s contribution to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Europe. HMCS Ville de Québec is currently deployed under the same operation with Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), and St. John’s’ deployment will continue these commitments after Ville de Québec returns home.
