Canada has yet to deliver NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine a year after promising them to the war-ravaged nation, CBC News has reported.
In January 2023, Ottawa announced that it would provide the European nation with a $406-million surface-to-air missile defense system for use against invading Russian forces.
The plan was to pay the US government for the system, then Washington would directly enter into a foreign military sales agreement with Kyiv to expedite the transfer.
However, a year after announcing the commitment, a company involved in building the NASAMS revealed that there is no contract yet for the initiative.
Unclear Timeline
According to the report, the Canadian defense department appears unaware of when the air defense systems will finally be delivered.
A spokesperson said the department is still working with US partners to determine the exact timeline.
Meanwhile, Kongsberg spokesperson Ivar Simensen disclosed that the acquisition authority is still processing the procurement of the Canadian donation.
But he could also not provide a timeline for the acquisition and production processes.
Need for More Air Defense Systems
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on Western allies to expedite critical decisions to bolster the air defense capabilities of the war-torn nation.
He said Moscow has been launching waves of devastating air attacks and that Ukraine needs sophisticated systems to fend them off.
Earlier this month, the Institute for the Study of War claimed that Russian ballistic missiles are rendering Ukraine’s air defenses ineffective.
Ukrainian air defenses could only reportedly intercept a “handful” of attacks since December 29 due to the faster trajectory of the enemy missiles.
