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But it was during a recent day sail — in which the destroyer’s engine systems again acted up — that Newton said he saw something more problematic.

“I didn’t necessarily like what I was seeing on board the ship,” he explained. “In talking with the crew, it became evident to me that we had been deferring some decisions on habitability, repairs of various things.

“That’s what my eyes were opening up to — we were not loving the ship enough,” he added.

There was concern that the aging ship might not be able to make it to its planned 2017 retirement date.

Newton has now brought his command team together to hammer out a repair plan for the destroyer. Much of that work had previously been left to the ship’s crew, which had limited clout on their own to make changes.

Equipment on board the ship was worn. The vessel was looking tired, Newton said.

“I wanted to make sure the entire formation and the fleet actually embraced the ship and put the plan on the table to get her out to 2017 sailing strong and hard,” Newton said.

“My logic was that it is the flagship of the fleet.”

Another factor to consider was that HMCS Athabaskan is scheduled to take part in NATO’s massive military exercise, Trident Juncture, planned for October. The Conservative government wants to send a message to the Russians that in light of the increased tensions in Ukraine, it stands firmly with its European allies.

In addition to the other work on HMCS Athabaskan, some of the steel decks on the destroyer have to be replaced. Because of that, the ship has been withdrawn from an upcoming Canadian task force exercise.