Canada’s Promised $400M Air Defence System for Ukraine Remains Undelivered

Ukrainian soldiers on their positions in the frontline near Soledar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Jan. 11, 2023. Libkos/AP Photo

Canada’s commitment of a $400 million air defence system to Ukraine remains unfulfilled nearly a year after its announcement.

The Liberal government announced in January 2023 the procurement of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) and associated munitions at a cost of $406 million in a bid to bolster Ukraine’s defence against aerial threats from Russia. The advanced air defence system has yet to be delivered, and plans are still being worked out, National Defence told the National Post on Jan. 2.

NASAMS, a sophisticated short-to-medium-range ground-based air defence system, is designed to counter drone, missile, and aircraft attacks. Its procurement was part of Canada’s broader support of Ukraine, which has exceeded $9 billion.

The system, described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a social media post last January as a “strong shield” for cities and citizens, is expected to significantly enhance the country’s protective measures.

Former Defence Minister Anita Anand, in an April 2023 interview with CBC News, said the system was “en route” to Ukraine, but delivery has still not occurred.

Department of National Defence spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin told The Epoch Times in an email that the system, acquired from the United States through a Foreign Military Sales case, is still undergoing planning with unspecified delivery timelines.

Ukraine has continued to express an urgent need for air defence systems to counteract the intensifying offensive by Russian forces.

“On New Year’s Eve alone, our air defense forces managed to shoot down over 80 drones. Unfortunately, there were also hits that damaged civilian infrastructure in the Sumy, Odesa, Lviv, Poltava, Kyiv, Donetsk, and Kherson regions,” Mr. Zelenskyy wrote Jan. 1 on X.

“I am grateful to Prime Minister Trudeau for his willingness to assist us in protecting the Ukrainian sky, particularly by providing additional NASAMS systems and missiles.” Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned no specific time of delivery.

The procurement and delivery intricacies involve various stakeholders, including the U.S. government, U.S. defence contractor Raytheon, and Kongsberg Defence of Norway, who jointly designed and developed NASAMS.

While the federal government’s website hints at the U.S. facilitating the delivery on Canada’s behalf, explicit details or updates on the timeline have not been provided, leaving a gap in information for the defence system’s arrival in Ukraine.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, Canada has supported Ukraine by training more than 5,000 Ukrainian armed forces members in various locations and has sent military equipment such as battle tanks and missiles. The Defense Department said Canadian aircraft have been deployed to deliver more than 14 million pounds of military aid to Ukraine from Canada and its allies since March 2022.