Rust Fix Affects Canadian Submarine's Dive Depth

The previously owned Victoria-class submarines purchased from Britain some years ago continue to cause headaches for the Canadian Navy.

One of the Canadian navy's four Victoria-class submarines will be restricted in its ability to dive deep beneath the seas because of rust, according to a document obtained by The Canadian Press.

A Feb. 9, 2010, briefing note prepared by Lt.-Cmdr. Helga Budden recommends repairing seven areas of general rust and three regions of localized pitting rust on HMCS Windsor.

Budden recommends the repair be carried out through a "protect and monitor" option which calls for grinding away and priming the corroded areas, with regular checks of those areas to be conducted once the submarine is operational.

But her note says that option would result in a new depth limitation for the submarine.

"Materiel safety of the submarine would be maintained through a depth limitation caveat on the Windsor's submarine safety document register," says the note, obtained under federal access-to-information legislation.

The note was based on research done by defence research scientists in Halifax.

By: Shelldrake