Federal Fleet Services (FFS) announced today that the Government of Canada has exercised the remaining three option years under their unique Provision of Services Agreement (PSA) for Combat Support Ship (CSS) Asterix. In addition to the provision of the Asterix, FFS provides personnel to operate and maintain the vessel, while the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) assigns Mission Specialists to fulfill critical naval defense roles, with the FFS merchant and RCN military crews operating in an integrated, seamless and highly capable manner.
This cost effective contracting model has been a true Canadian success story and is currently in its seventh year and will be in effect until at least January 28th 2028. The original contract for CSS Asterix was for an initial five-year period followed by five optional years, and an option to purchase the vessel, which remains in effect.
John Schmidt, President of Federal Fleet Services said, "Since 2018, Combat Support Ship Asterix has circumnavigated the globe several times working with NATO and other allied navies in military and humanitarian operations in the world's most hostile regions – from the Persian Gulf to East Africa, the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula. In that time, the ship has performed flawlessly, without a single day of unplanned downtime. Asterix has truly earned her place as an essential capability for serving the needs of our military, as well as those of our allies."
Alex Vicefield, CEO of the Inocea Group added: "Combat Support Ship Asterix has become an indispensable strategic enabler for Canada's blue water naval operations. Its capabilities, experience and reliability have rightly earned the ship and its crew global acclaim. In an increasingly volatile world, we continue to make major strategic investments in Asterix to meet emerging threats and challenges. Congratulations to the Federal Fleet Services team for their flawless track-record and contribution to keeping Canadians and our allies safe and secure."
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