Canada buys Ukraine $400M air-defence system; Canadian Army still waits for such equipment
David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen · Postmedia News | Posted: Jan. 10, 2023, 8 p.m. | Updated: Jan. 10, 2023, 8 p.m. | 3 Min Read
The Liberal government is spending more than $400 million to buy an air-defence system for Ukraine.
The Liberal government is spending more than $400 million to buy air-defence systems for Ukraine even though the Canadian Forces has been without such equipment for more than a decade.
Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Tuesday that Canada would purchase a "National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System" and associated munitions from the United States to donate to Ukraine. A NASAMS is a short- to medium-range ground-based air-defence system that protects against drone, missile and aircraft attacks. The donation will cost Canadian taxpayers approximately $406 million.
"Canada stands in solidarity with Ukrainians as they fight heroically against Russia's illegal and unjustifiable invasion," Anand said. "We have committed over $1 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, and today we are moving forward with the first Canadian donation of an air defence system to Ukraine. Canada will continue to collaborate with the United States, as well as other Allies and partners, to address Ukraine's defence priorities in the short and long term — including with high-capability equipment such as the NASAMS."
Anand did not explain how the government was able to act so quickly in acquiring the air-defence system for Ukraine while a similar project for Canada's military continued to go unfulfilled.
The Canadian Army has been without an air-defence capability since 2012 and has tried over the past decade to convince governments to purchase such equipment.
The Canadian Army was outfitted in 1989 with a then state-of-the art air-defence anti-tank system known as ADATS. It was purchased to protect bases in Germany against attack by the Russians, but, shortly after ADATS was delivered, the Cold War ended and the systems were shipped back to Canada. ADATS was occasionally used for domestic security, including protection from potential air threats during the G8 summit in Alberta in 2002.
But, faced with budget cuts ordered by the Conservative government, the army announced it was removing ADATS from service in 2012.
That move left the Canadian Forces without a primary air-defence system. Army officers acknowledged then that the decision was risky, but the service had determined it was acceptable in the short term. The army had plans to introduce a new air-defence system around 2017, but that project never went forward.
The Liberal government outlined its proposed purchase of an air-defence system in its 2018 defence capability plan, but that acquisition is still being examined.
Army commander Lt. Gen. Joe Paul told The Canadian Press in December that the army was moving forward on purchasing air-defence equipment, but he did not provide timelines.
In 2020, then Army commander Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre also told Esprit de Corps military magazine that ground-based air defence was a priority for the service. "We see the evolving threat from drones, from rockets, and other forms of indirect fire," said Eyre, who has since been promoted to Chief of the Defence Staff. "We have to be able to protect ourselves."
During a briefing in Ottawa on April 5, 2022, Canadian Army officers told defence industry representatives the cost would between $500 million and $1 billion, according to records obtained by this newspaper. A contact was expected to be awarded in 2026 and the first systems would be in place a year later, industry officials were told.
Army officers said then that the new system would be used to deal with drones, rocket, artillery and mortar munitions, air-to-surface missiles and bombs.
The National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System being sent to Ukraine is designed and developed jointly by Raytheon of the U.S. and Kongsberg Defence of Norway, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the donation in a tweet on Tuesday. "Dear @JustinTrudeau, your true leadership in standing for democracy and human rights has been vividly proven again," Zelenskyy stated. "Thank you for helping us to protect our sky. NASAMS procured for us by Canada will be a strong shield for our cities and citizens."
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