ats ▁including ▁a ▁tw in ▁ 4 - inch ▁mount ▁forward ▁and ▁ 1 2 - p ound er ▁a ft . ▁ 1 5 ▁Canadian ▁fr ig ates ▁were ▁initially ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁ 4 - inch ▁gun ▁forward ▁but ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁, ▁they ▁were ▁all ▁eventually ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁the ▁double ▁mount . ▁For ▁under water ▁targets , ▁the ▁River - class ▁fr ig ate ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁a ▁H edge h og ▁( we ap on )| H edge h og ▁anti - sub marine ▁mort ar ▁and ▁depth ▁charge ▁rails ▁a ft ▁and ▁four ▁side - mount ed ▁throw ers . ▁ ▁River - class ▁fr ig ates ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁Royal ▁Canadian ▁Navy ▁war ships ▁to ▁carry ▁the ▁ 1 4 7 B ▁S word ▁horizontal ▁fan ▁echo ▁son ar ▁transmit ter ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁irregular ▁AS D IC . ▁This ▁allowed ▁the ▁ship ▁to ▁maintain ▁contact ▁with ▁targets ▁even ▁while ▁firing ▁unless ▁a ▁target ▁was ▁struck . ▁Im pro ved ▁rad ar ▁and ▁direction - find ing ▁equipment ▁improved ▁the ▁R CN ' s ▁ability ▁to ▁find ▁and ▁track ▁enemy ▁sub mar ines ▁over ▁the ▁previous ▁classes . ▁ ▁Canada ▁originally ▁ordered ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁ 3 3 ▁fr ig ates ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁The ▁design ▁was ▁too ▁big ▁for ▁the ▁ship y ards ▁on ▁the ▁Great ▁L akes ▁so ▁all ▁the ▁fr ig ates ▁built ▁in ▁Canada ▁were ▁built ▁in ▁dock y ards ▁along ▁the ▁west