The following is the text of a news release from Chantier Davie Canada:
(QUEBEC CITY) — Davie Shipbuilding on Monday announced that during the weekend it launched the largest naval vessel ever to be delivered from a Canadian shipyard — on time, to budget and at an internationally competitive cost.
Commissioning of all onboard systems began in early September, and on Nov. 16 the ship, the 599-foot Asterix, will perform its sea trials prior to achieving full operational capability (FOC). During the sea trials, overseen by Lloyd's Register, the ship's safety, quality, systems and functionality will be tested against the high military standards and specifications which it has been built to.
More than 900 Canadian companies have contributed to the build of the ship, including the supply of key military-specified equipment such as its Integrated Navigational and Tactical System (INTS), its NATO-compliant replenishment at sea (RAS) systems and its naval Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
"The delivery of this ship has clearly demonstrated that there is a Canadian shipyard capable of delivering complex naval platforms on time, to budget and at internationally competitive prices," said Alex Vicefield, chairman of Davie Shipbuilding. "In the knowledge that the Royal Canadian Navy needed this ship urgently, our 1,400 staff have worked day and night to ensure that it is not only delivered on time but that it is of a quality that will be able to serve Canada proudly for decades to come. The success of this multi-functional design, which is equally suited to both combat and humanitarian operations, has generated worldwide interest from foreign navies."
Spencer Fraser, CEO of Federal Fleet Services, said, "Our Canadian crew are all onboard and are ready to begin operations alongside the Royal Canadian Navy. We have prepared for this moment for two years and we will very soon be ready to support Canadian forces in any theater of operations, worldwide, at a minute's notice."
