Canada’s navy has successfully tested the US-built MK 54 lightweight torpedo, marking a key milestone in strengthening the Halifax-class frigates’ anti-submarine warfare toolkit.
The trial took place off Nanoose Bay in British Columbia, where HMCS Regina (FFH 334) launched the torpedo at a fixed underwater target. Sailors recorded performance metrics to assess system reliability and support potential enhancements.
According to the Department of National Defence, the exercise was conducted to confirm the torpedo’s safe and effective integration aboard Canadian warships amid broader fleet modernization efforts.
System Overview
Introduced by Raytheon in the early 2000s, the MK 54 integrates the advanced acoustic seeker of the MK 50 with the propulsion and warhead elements of the MK 46.
The weapon weighs 608 pounds, stretches 8 feet in length, and measures 13 inches in diameter. It carries a polymer-bonded explosive payload and runs on a reciprocating external combustion engine. With a range of 30,000 feet, speeds above 40 knots, and an operational depth beyond 450 meters, it significantly enhances underwater strike capabilities.
Canada’s 2019 agreement to procure 425 MK 54 conversion kits—worth approximately $514 million—replaced the aging MK 46 inventory.
