Canada's beleaguered submarine fleet is showing signs of life, as Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced Tuesday that one of the four vessels will return to the water this week.

At a news conference to announce enhanced disability benefits for veterans, MacKay said he hopes HMCS Windsor will be back in the water off Halifax on Wednesday.

HMCS Windsor has been undergoing a refit that had been scheduled to be completed in 2009.

Last month, the Navy conducted drills during which torpedoes were fired from HMCS Victoria. The sub is engaged in ongoing sea trials on the west coast, according to MacKay.

As CTV News reported Monday evening, an internal Navy report marked "Urgent" said the torpedo drill signaled that the Navy is close to having a fully weaponized, operational submarine.

"The intention as you know is to have two submarines based on each coast," MacKay said.

Canada's submarine fleet, which was purchased from the Royal Navy for $750 million, has been plagued by problems:

  • HMCS Corner Brook ran aground off Vancouver Island in 2011 and is undergoing extensive maintenance.
  • HMCS Windsor had been dismantled and has undergone an extensive refit in Halifax.
  • HMCS Victoria sustained damage to its electrical system and had been undergoing maintenance.
  • HMCS Chicoutimi has not returned to service since a fire broke out on its maiden voyage from Scotland to Canada. The fire killing one sailor and injured other personnel.

In the report obtained by CTV's W5, the navy outlines an assessment of the submarine fleet's capabilities, and identifies concerns about the amount of training submariners have been limited to because the fleet has rarely been at sea.

The report says various factors, including "the lack of sea-going submarines," has created a cohort of inexperienced submariners.

"Warfare skills are also atrophying as weapons firing and operational submarine patrols have not been conducted for some time," the report says.

"These areas of expertise are essentially being rebuilt from scratch as the VCS (Victoria-class submarine) moves forward. Acknowledging this basic level of experience and capability will ensure a more realistic management of expectations and will reduce the significant stress being imposed on a group of unseasoned submariners."

MacKay said Tuesday that 278 submariners are currently in the submarine program, with an additional 60 hoping to join the program in the coming months. As well, a training program is in place that calls for four courses of 53 submariners within the next year.

"So there are courses in place to match the arrival of fully operational submarines," MacKay said. "With three in the water in 2013, we should be able to meet our operational requirements, and the training programs are meant to synchronize with the availability of submarines."