HMCS Charlottetown (FFH 339) is a Halifax-class frigate commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy in 1995. As the tenth vessel of her class, she was constructed by Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd. in Saint John, New Brunswick, with her keel laid on December 18, 1993, and launched on October 1, 1994. She officially entered service on September 9, 1995, and is homeported at CFB Halifax, serving primarily with Maritime Forces Atlantic. The Halifax-class frigates, including Charlottetown, displace approximately 4,750 long tons and measure about 134.6 meters (441 feet 9 inches) in length overall, with a beam of 16.4 meters (53 feet 8 inches) and a draught of 5.0 meters (16 feet 4 inches). Powered by a CODOG propulsion system—comprising two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines and one SEMT Pielstick diesel engine—she can attain a maximum speed of 29 knots and has a range of around 7,000 nautical miles at 15 knots using her diesel engines. Equipped for multi-mission roles, Charlottetown features a helicopter deck capable of operating the CH-124 Sea King (and later Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone) helicopters, supporting anti-submarine warfare with sonar systems, torpedoes, and the capability to deploy anti-submarine missiles such as the Mark 46 torpedo. Her armament includes RGM-84 Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles, Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles, a 57 mm main gun, and close-in weapon systems like the Phalanx CIWS. She also carries machine guns and decoy systems, including chaff and infrared decoys. Throughout her service, Charlottetown has participated in numerous NATO operations, including Standing Naval Force Atlantic, and has been deployed to the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and Mediterranean Sea. Notable missions include enforcing sanctions in the Persian Gulf, supporting anti-terrorist operations, and participating in humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts during the Libyan civil war in 2011. She has also been involved in counter-narcotics interdictions, NATO exercises, and testing unmanned aerial vehicles such as the ScanEagle. In recent years, she has taken part in major NATO exercises like Steadfast Defender and has served as the flagship for Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean, underscoring her ongoing maritime significance for Canada's defense and international cooperation.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.