Promised air defence systems now in Ukraine's hands, Canadian minister says

Canadian National Defence Minister Bill Blair says long-awaited US-made missile defense systems that the Canadian government helped to purchase have been delivered to Ukraine, Report informs via CBC.

Blair told the House Defense Committee that the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) Ottawa pledged $406 million almost two years ago are now in the hands of the Ukrainians.

"I can't give you more information on that because of operational security, but we have been able to deliver at long last — and I think it's going to make a difference because it will enable them to protect communities," Blair told the committee.

The planned $406-million purchase was announced in January 2023 — but as the Department of National Defense told CBC News in September, the federal government didn't transfer funds to Washington to pay for the system and start the process until March 2023.