CFAV Firebrand (YTR 562)

Firebrand in Esquimalt
For other uses see firebrand.
Career (Canada)
Name: CFAV Firebrand
Operator: Royal Canadian Navy
Builder: Vancouver Shipyards
Commissioned: 1978
Homeport: CFB Esquimalt
Status: in active service, as of 2013
General characteristics [1]
Class & type: Fire-class fireboat
Displacement: 140 tonnes (138 long tons)
Length: 23.1 m (75 ft 9 in)
Beam: 6.4 m (21 ft)
Draught: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
Propulsion: 2 × 365 hp azimuthing Z-drives
1 × hydraulic tunnel bow thruster
Speed: 11 knots (13 mph; 20 km/h)
Equipment: 3 × manually-controlled 3 inch (7.6 cm) water cannon
2 × diesel-driven fire pumps, 2,500 gpm @ 150 psi each
For other ships of the same name, see HMS Firebrand.

The CFAV Firebrand (YTR 562) is a Fire-class fireboat in the Royal Canadian Navy designed by Robert Allan Ltd.. Firebrand is based in CFB Esquimalt, on Vancouver Island.[1] Her sister ship CFAV Firebird (YTR 561) is based in CFB Halifax.

Her three water cannons can fire water, supplemented by fire suppressant foam from her two 250 gallon tanks.[1] Her water cannons are capable of pumping a 19,000 litres per minute at 150 psi.[2] Although not operated as such, she can also serve as a tugboat, and has a bollard pull of 7.5 tons.

On December 4, 2012 the Department of National Defence published an enquiry for Canadian shipbuilders interested in building replacements for the Glen class tugs¸ and fire class fireboats.[2] A single class would replace both the rugs and the fireboats, and would be operated by civilian crews. The replacement vessels would have water cannons that could be controlled remotely, by a single individual.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Canadian Forces Small Ships — the Fire class YTR Rescue Boats". Canadian American Strategic Review. Archived from the original on 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2008-02-13. "Firebrand is a name with a heritage. The fireship Firebrand was launched in 1694 but the Crimea-era HMS Firebrand is better known." 
  2. ^ a b "Future CF Harbour Tugs – The Naval Large Tug Construction Project: Replacing the CF Glen and Fire Class Large Tugs – MERX P&A Notice". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2012-12-04. Archived from the original on 2012-12-23. 


Stub icon This Canadian military article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
↑Jump back a section
Last modified on 13 March 2013, at 17:44