Canada joins Germany in supporting Ukraine's air defense with $76 Million contribution.

On May 10, 2024, Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair announced that Canada would allocate CAN $76 million ($55.7 million) to the Immediate Action on Air Defence (IAAD) initiative during a visit to Ottawa by Blair’s German counterpart, Boris Pistorius. This initiative, launched last month by Germany, focuses on procuring and supplying air defense systems to Ukraine.
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Launched in mid-April 2024, the German government’s IAAD initiative focuses on acquiring modern Patriot air defense systems, among other needs. (Picture source: US DoD)

Launched in mid-April 2024, the German government’s IAAD (Immediate Action on Air Defence) initiative aims to promptly enhance Ukraine's air defense capabilities by supplying systems, ammunition, and spare parts. It focuses on acquiring modern Patriot air defense systems, among other needs. The initiative has quickly garnered support, with the Netherlands committing €150 million and Germany pledging an additional Patriot battery. Other nations like Belgium, which has committed €200 million, and Canada are also significant contributors. The initiative is currently discussing potential contributions with Denmark and Lithuania, with details still to be finalized. The urgency of the initiative is underscored by the increasing frequency of Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.

The acquisition of additional Patriot air defense systems is a priority for the IAAD due to their high demand and scarcity. Despite some NATO countries, like Spain, showing hesitance to relinquish their own systems, the initiative has been exploring possible contributions from third countries such as Jordan and Qatar. Efforts are focused on identifying potential resources from industry stocks or third countries to efficiently procure the necessary air defense equipment for Ukraine amid escalating aerial threats.

In their bilateral discussions, the ministers also addressed the broader military cooperation between Canada and Germany. This includes the activities of the Canadian Armed Forces in Germany as part of the Security Assistance Group – Ukraine, which assists in managing the transfer and alignment of military aid according to Ukraine's needs.

Since February 2022, Canada has committed over $14 billion in total support to Ukraine, including $4 billion in military assistance. This military aid includes the delivery of 8 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks, 4 155mm M777 towed howitzers, along with an undisclosed quantity of M982 Excalibur GPS-guided shells, one Bergepanzer 3 armored recovery vehicle, two GCS-200 demining vehicles, 39 Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs), and 208 Roshel Senators armored vehicles.

Canada’s aid package to Ukraine also includes significant quantities of weapons, such as 100 Carl Gustaf M2 recoilless rifles, 4,200 M72 LAW anti-tank weapons, 7,000 anti-tank rockets, 700 C8 carbines, over 200 C6 light and C9 medium machine guns, 78 medium and heavy caliber sniper rifles, and 600 Glock 17 pistols. In terms of ammunition support, Canada's assistance has been extensive, providing over 40,000 155mm rounds for M777 howitzers, more than 3,000 84mm rounds for Carl Gustaf M2, 7,500 C13 hand grenades, and more than 12.9 million rounds of various ammunition types since February 2022.

Regarding funding and training initiatives, Canada has made significant investments to support Ukraine's defense sector. This includes financial aid totaling CAN $2.45 billion for loans to Ukraine, CAN $620 million to the Government of Ukraine, and CAN $35 million allocated for mine-clearing efforts. Moreover, Canada has contributed CAN $15 million to pilot training and maintenance support for F-16s, trained over 33,000 Ukrainian troops through Operation Unifier, and allocated CAN $30 million to the Leopard 2 Tank Maintenance Centre in Poland, demonstrating Canada's commitment to enhancing Ukraine's defense capabilities through financial and training support.