NEW DELHI: Two Canadian warships will be visiting Indian waters for four days from Wednesday and carry out an exercise in the sea off the Chennai coast on Saturday.

The two ships -- HMCS Calgary and HMCS Protecteur -- will dock at the Chennai port while the Canadian Naval officers and men interact with their Indian counterparts there during the visit, Indian Navy sources said here on Tuesday.

Before the ships leave the Indian waters, the two navies would conduct a Passage Exercise in the Bay of Bengal involving communication, manoeuvring, station keeping, Visit-Board-Search-Seize operations and exchange of personnel.

HMCS Calgary is a Halifax-class frigate with a complement of 215 men including 25 officers. It has a maximum displacement of 4,770-tonnes and is equipped with Electronic Counter Measures capability. It carries Harpoon missiles, Sea Sparrow Surface-to-Air Missile, 57-mm Bofors Gun and suitable Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities, along with a Sea King helicopter.

HMCS Protecteur is an Auxillary ship (tanker) with a complement of 365 men including 27 officers. It has a maximum displacement of 24,700 tonne and carries a Sea King helicopter.
Source : DNA