View source for Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges

{{Short description|Maritime test facility in British Columbia, Canada}}
{{coord|49.30235|N|123.98423|W|region:CA|display=title}}

{{more citations needed|date=September 2008}}

The '''Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges''' (CFMETR) is a maritime test facility on the east<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Nanoose+Bay,+BC/@49.1002885,-125.0195672,9z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x54889bb2e54af479:0xbffe3458f797e1e2!8m2!3d49.2723165!4d-124.1930531|title=Nanoose Bay · British Columbia, Canada}}</ref> side of [[Vancouver Island]], at [[Nanoose Bay]].

[[Image:CFMETR-NanooseBay.JPG|thumb|The main gate of CFMETR Nanoose Bay]]

[[Image:Cfmetr.jpg|thumb|CFMETR docks from across Nanoose Bay. The craft shown, from left to right, are two Canadian Maritime Command [[Hull classification symbol (Canada)|TSRV]]s and one U.S. Navy [[Hull classification symbol|YTT]].]]

The ranges operated by CFMETR are located over an area of the [[Strait of Georgia]]—known as Area WG—that is several hundred metres deep, several dozen kilometres long and several kilometres wide over a seabed composed of soft mud and free of underwater obstacles.  The facility employs a three-dimensional sonar tracking system for monitoring the performance and position of objects in these waters for real-time tracking.  During periods of activity, the range area is closed off from all civilian maritime traffic as a safety measure. [[File:CFMETR Aerial 2010.jpg|thumb|]]

Equipment tested at the facility consists of a variety of devices, including [[sonobuoy]]s, [[sonar]] systems (ship and aircraft),  [[torpedo]]es and the repair and overhaul of the dipping sonar used on Canada's [[Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone]] helicopter fleet. No explosives are used.

This facility is unique in the Canadian Forces as it staffed by active military personnel from the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] and [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]] civilian employees, as well as a small number of [[U.S. Navy]] civilian employees from [[Naval Base Kitsap]].<ref name="anderson"/> The facility is operationally controlled as a field unit of [[Department of National Defence Headquarters (Canada)|Department of National Defence Headquarters]].  There is a joint funding agreement between the Canadian and United States governments.

During the [[Alaskan Salmon War|Salmon War]] of 1997, in an attempt to leverage the US into quitting the fishing of salmon runs in Canadian waters, Premier [[Glen Clark]] of [[British Columbia]] threatened to close the base by terminating the lease for use of the seabed, which is owned by the province and leased to the Canadian military. This brought quick rebuttal from the [[Government of Canada|federal government]], saying that it would expropriate the area if needed.<ref name="anderson">[https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19970820/2555688/torpedoes-in-a-salmon-war----bc-premier-may-sink-high-tech-us-navy-base Anderson, Ross ''Torpedoes In A Salmon War -- B.C. Premier May Sink High-Tech U.S. Navy Base'', ''Seattle Times'', August 20, 1997]</ref><ref>[http://dsp-psd.tpsgc.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/BP/bp429-e.htm ''PACIFIC SALMON: THE CANADA-UNITED STATES DISPUTE'', Prepared by Claude Emery, Political and Social Affairs Division, Depository Services Program, Government of Canada, Revised September 1997.]</ref>

==References==
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{{Royal Canadian Navy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cfmetr, Nanoose Bay}}
[[Category:Royal Canadian Navy|Nanoose Bay]]
[[Category:Canadian Forces bases in British Columbia|Nanoose Bay]]
[[Category:Mid Vancouver Island]]


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