ABSTRACT
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is well-known for its specialisation in antisubmarine warfare (ASW). From its trial-by-fire during the Second World War to the present-day participation in numerous international ASW exercises, much of the literature on the RCN's military tasks focuses on the development of its ability to defend and deter submarine attacks on trans-Atlantic shipping. During the Cold War, the acquisition and maintenance of this dedicated ASW capability came at the expense of nearly every other naval warfare mission. However, the RCN's focus on ASW was not a foregone conclusion, and indeed its actual combat missions since the end of the Second World War have rarely required that specialised capability. Such was the case with the RCN's participation in the Korean War. Amidst a wholesale transformation of its fleet force structure towards ASW in the North Atlantic, the RCN was called away to the opposite side of the world. Not only was this deployment carried out initially by the Pacific fleet that would soon be relegated to a mere ‘training’ force, but the mission itself also involved nearly none of the ASW specialisation that was gained during the last war and was being cultivated in new construction. This chapter contextualises the RCN's participation in the Korean War within its overall postwar transformation towards a dedicated Atlantic antisubmarine force. It highlights the challenges inherent in a smaller-sized navy's attempt to match naval means with strategic ends during times of peace and the importance of multi-mission capabilities for countries with transoceanic interests.
