Restigouche Class

The Restigouche Class comprised 7 ships, displacing 2800 tons, and 367 feet in length. As originally configured the class carried 1 twin 3"50 calibre and 1 twin 3"70 calibre gun mounts, two triple "Limbo" anti submarine mortars in a recessed well aft, and torpedo throwers mounted in the aft superstructure. In the late 1960's, four of the class began conversion, to carry the 8 celled Asroc missile launcher, and a variable depth sonar installation This resulted in the loss of one mortar and the second gun mount, and considerably improved the class' effectiveness in the Anti Submarine role. Subsequently, two triple torpedo tubes were also fitted. These four were known as "Improved Restigouche" Class or IRE's. During the Gulf war, two of the class, Restigouche and Terra Nova were modified again to carry 8 Harpoon Surface to surface missiles and a Phalanx close in weapon system in place of the Asroc pepperbox and mortar. These modifications are evident in the photo of Restigouche above. Restigouche and Kootenay have recently been sold and Gatineau and Terra Nova are alongside in Halifax awaiting disposal.

Chaudiere, Columbia and St. Croix were unmodified and were placed in class C reserve early in their careers, with St. Croix acting as a floating classroom for Maritime Command Fleet School in Halifax, and Columbia used in the same role in Esquimalt. These ships have been sunk as artifial reefs, exept St.Croix which has been scrapped.