His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) St. John’s departed Halifax on July 13 to begin its Operation REASSURANCE, where it will join Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) as part of Canada’s continuing contribution to NATO’s collective defence in European waters, until December 2025.
SNMG2 is a core part of the maritime component of the NATO Response Allied Reaction Force and provides a continuous maritime capability to execute NATO missions, demonstrating solidarity and strengthening interoperability between Allied naval forces.
Operation REASSURANCE is Canada’s largest overseas military operation, supporting NATO’s deterrence and defence measures in Central and Eastern Europe since 2014.
“The deployment of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship St. John’s is a demonstration of Canada’s unwavering commitment to maintaining peace in Europe,” Rear-Admiral Josée Kurtz, Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic stated in a press release. “Since the inception of Operation REASSURANCE, Maritime Forces Atlantic has consistently delivered multi-mission capable assets in support of NATO’s defence posture. This deployment is more than another rotation, it is a signal by Canada that we stand together with our allies and partners to protect a principled and peaceful international order.” A total of three RCN ships are currently deployed on Operation REASSURANCE. On July 7, 2025, HMCS Edmonton and HMCS Yellowknife also deployed to support Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One. From July to October 2025, the ships will operate in European waters, advancing NATO’s maritime security and mine countermeasure operations.