HMCS Chicoutimi is a Victoria-class long-range hunter-killer submarine of the Royal Canadian Navy, originally constructed as HMS Upholder for the Royal Navy. Laid down in February 1983 by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd, she was launched on December 2, 1986, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on December 7, 1990. The vessel features a single-skinned, teardrop-shaped hull with a length of approximately 70.3 meters, a beam of 7.6 meters, and a draught of 5.4 meters. Displacing around 2,220 long tons surfaced and 2,455 long tons submerged, the submarine is powered by a diesel-electric system comprising two Paxman Valenta 1600 RPS SZ diesel engines, each driving a GEC electric alternator, and a GEC dual armature electric motor turning a seven-blade propeller. It can reach speeds of up to 12 knots on the surface and 20 knots submerged, with an operational range of 8,000 nautical miles at 8 knots. Designed as a replacement for the Oberon class, the Upholder/Victoria class was equipped with six 21-inch torpedo tubes and originally carried Tigerfish Mk 24 torpedoes and Sub-Harpoon missiles. During her transition to Canadian service, her missile and minelaying capabilities were removed, and she was fitted with the Canadian-designed fire-control system, enabling her to fire Gould Mk 48 Mod 4 and later Mk 48 Mod 7AT torpedoes. The vessel’s sonar suite includes Type 2046 and Type 2007 arrays, complemented by the Canadian Towed Array Sonar (CANTASS). Her hull is fitted with elastomeric acoustic tiles for stealth enhancement. Her service history includes a notable partial flooding incident shortly after her transfer to Canada in October 2004. During an operation to repair an air vent, water entered through open hatches, causing electrical short circuits and a fire that left her adrift in heavy seas. The incident resulted in the death of one crew member, Lieutenant Chris Saunders, and injuries to others. Following extensive repairs and upgrades at Faslane and Halifax, she was recommissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy in September 2015. Since then, Chicoutimi has participated in various exercises, including a historic port visit to Yokosuka, Japan, in 2017, marking the first Canadian submarine deployment to Asia in over 50 years. Her operational history underscores her significance as a key asset in Canada's submarine fleet, with ongoing maintenance and upgrades to ensure her capability in maritime patrol and defense.

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