HMCS Max Bernays returns to Esquimalt after Arctic deployment

The Royal Canadian Navy vessel HMCS Max Bernays returned to CFB Esquimalt on September 28 following an 84-day deployment in the Arctic and northern Pacific as part of Operation Latitude. The mission focused on increasing surveillance and demonstrating Canada’s ability to operate alongside allied forces, including the United States Navy and US Coast Guard, in northern waters such as the Bering Sea.

The deployment marked several technical milestones for the Royal Canadian Navy. The ship completed 19 consecutive days of icebreaking, the longest continuous stretch in recent history. Additionally, the crew conducted the Navy’s first beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations since 2014 using an Aerosonde Mk. 4, marking the first time this capability was utilized aboard a Harry DeWolf-class vessel.

This mission aligns with Canada’s broader Arctic foreign policy, which emphasizes increased presence and international collaboration in response to shifting geopolitical tensions in the region.