In early 1991, "Restigouche" was upgraded with a Gulf War refit in preparation for relieving sister ship on station in the Persian Gulf in March 1991. However, before the ship could arrive in the Middle East, the war ended. "Restigouche" was then redirected to the Atlantic where she deployed as part of NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic, the first west coast-based ship to do so. On 24 February 1992, "Restigouche" was dispatched to the Red Sea as part of a force intended to respond if Iraq resumed hostilities. The destroyer escort arrived in the Red Sea on 18 April and was assigned the job of inspecting all the shipping going into the port of Aqaba. While performing these duties, she became the first Canadian warship to make official visits to Saudi Arabia and Israel. Her duties ended on 4 July and returned to Esquimalt on 18 August.