Canadian Submarine Sinks a Ship

HMCS Victoria, one of Canada’s four deisel-electric submarines, is currently taking part in RIMPAC 2012, a major multinational military exercise out of Hawaii. As part of her contribution and training, Victoria got to perform a “Sinkex”, which is just what it sounds like—she sank a surface ship.

The victim was the former USNS Concord, 18,000 tons, stripped and prepped for disposal.

For a look at the shocking power of a single torpedo fired by Victoria, see this site and follow the links:

http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/cms/4/4-a_eng.asp?id=912

The video is a brutal reminder that a single submarine has the potential to cause untold havoc on shipping. It is hard to imagine the enormity of the job faced by Allied forces during the Battle of the Atlantic, when the RCN, among others, faced the German U-boat blockade. It is equally hard to imagine the bravery of the men manning unarmed merchant ships in those cruel waters.