With the advent of precision guided weapons, like the harpoon AGM-48 SSM (surface-to-surface missile) or SLAM ( Stand-off Land Attack Missile), the capability of ships to strike against surface targets of interest using conventional large caliber turrets has been in decline. As well, the more prominent Tomahawk cruise missile weapon of the American Naval fleet further extenuates this shift in popularity from gunnery NFS to self powered projectile warheads for use against land targets of interest. Presently, the Canadian Navy does not have the Tomahawk missile due to the vast cost and present lack of requirement for such a devastating weapon. On an interesting point, our navy still leases its Harpoon SSM missiles from the American Navy.
During the Cold War, the dominant scenario was one of a missile threat from Soviet submarines in North Atlantic and Artic Ocean. As a reflection of this, Canadian warship design incorporated features dealing with this threat, such as advanced sonar, anti-submarine mortars and large anti submarine helicopters.[1] The St. Laurent Class and subsequent classes of destroyer escorts employed all of these innovations in order to counter the Soviet submarine threat. The Canadian Navy was employed largely in its field of expertise, ASW. An ASW capacity which saw is preliminary roots during the convoy escort missions of the WII. Technically speaking, the St. Laurent class destroyers introduced the first real step for the Canadian navy in the direction of ASW warfare. The VDS (variable depth sonar) device used onboard the St. Laurent's was a design first in class, and lead many national navies into efforts to produce such a capable instrument. The long term presence of the Soviet submarine threat allowed the ASW role for the Canadian Navy to continue to prosper. It is undeniable that Canada's role in NATO in the 1950's to 60's was that of ASW, and anything other than ASW was considered a objection to established doctrine.