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The Canadian Surface Combatant contract was signed Thursday by the Liberal government. The contact with Irving and the Lockheed Martin-BAE consortium was negotiated in near record time.

The signing of the contract will be announced by Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough at the Irving yard in Halifax on Friday.

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That $60 billion project will see the eventual construction of 15 warships in the largest single government purchase in Canadian history.

Lockheed offered Canada the Type 26 warship designed by BAE in the United Kingdom. Irving is the prime contractor and the vessels will be built at its yard.

Public Services and Procurement Canada did not respond to a request for comment.

But some industry representatives are questioning why the government moved so quickly to get the contract signed. They say with a deal of such financial size – and potential risk to the taxpayer – federal bureaucrats should have moved slowly and carefully. The Type 26 was selected at the end of October and the deal was negotiated in less than three months (negotiations did not take place over the Christmas holidays).