Canada - Damage to submarine has senator `worried' about naval defence

OTTAWA - Liberal Senator Colin Kenny said Monday he is ``worried'' about Canada's naval defence as he pondered new photos uncovered by CBC that show extensive damage to the submarine HMCS Corner Brook which hit bottom last June.

``Having the capacity to protect Canada underwater with submarines is fundamental to our defence. It's an absolute necessity,'' he said. ``I'm worried right now. None of the boats we have are capable of doing the job.''

According to Kenny, several photos of the HMCS Corner Brook show ``a very significant inverted triangular hole in the bow of the boat'' about 10 metres high and eight metres wide.

It appears that the submarine struck a rock when it hit the ocean floor off Vancouver Island, he said, but noted it was difficult to tell the ``substance of the accident.''

``It's very very unusual for a submarine to hit bottom of ocean and to damage itself,'' Kenny said. ``I'm concerned that the credibility of the Royal Canadian Navy's submarine program is being put in jeopardy.''

 After a Dec. 2011 investigation, the Royal Canadian Navy's Board of Inquiry cited ``human error'' that caused the submarine to strike the southeastern wall of British Columbia's Zuciarte Channel.

After the inquiry, the ship's commanding officer was removed from command and reassigned to a position ashore. The investigation also said inadequate training and inexperience contributed to the incident.

The navy has pledged to amend its submarine training manuals, training and navigation practices.

Kenny said the ``shortage of people who can operate the boats'' is worrisome, adding that none of Canada's four submarines are certified and weaponized this year.

Meanwhile, the Department of National Defence said Canada's submarine fleet ``will achieve full operational capability in 2013; at which point Canada will have three of four submarines continuously available for operations.''

``A high readiness submarine will be available in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,'' said Lt. Mark Fifield in an email.

``The watertight integrity of the submarine remained intact and at no time were the crew in danger after the grounding incident,'' he said of HMCS Corner Brook.

A determination of the full extent of the damage and related repairs will be made during the ship's maintenance period, beginning in 2013.