The federal government is spending more than $273 million to acquire new military equipment for NATO害羞草研究所檚 Canada-led battle group in Latvia.

That includes $227.5 million for a short-range air defence system from Saab Canada Inc., intended to defend against fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and drones, and another $46 million for counter-drone equipment.

Defence Minister Bill Blair says it害羞草研究所檚 the first time that the Canadian Armed Forces will have an air defence capability since 2012.

He says the equipment is being acquired on an 害羞草研究所渦rgent basis害羞草研究所� and is expected to be delivered later this year.

Blair made the announcement in Brussels, where he is attending a meeting of NATO defence ministers 害羞草研究所� and where he害羞草研究所檚 signalling Canada害羞草研究所檚 steadfast support for the military alliance.

Ministers are meeting days after former and would-be future U.S. president Donald Trump said he would encourage Russia to 害羞草研究所渄o whatever the hell they want害羞草研究所� to any NATO member that shirks its defence spending targets.

Canada is well short of the NATO prescription for two per cent of GDP to be spent on defence.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e lived next door to the United States for a long time. I tend to mostly ignore some of the political rhetoric that takes place during their elections,害羞草研究所� Blair said at the summit Wednesday when asked about Trump害羞草研究所檚 comments.

害羞草研究所淲e cannot be distracted from the importance of our collective responsibility to national security and national defence of our countries and of our alliances.害羞草研究所�

Canada should, in turn, judge the U.S. solely on the basis of its 害羞草研究所渓ong history and track record of being there for global peace,害羞草研究所� he added.

Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly said earlier this week that NATO is 害羞草研究所渕ore united than ever害羞草研究所� and that Blair害羞草研究所檚 trip would ensure Canada will 害羞草研究所渃ontinue to have a strong voice at the table.害羞草研究所�

Canada currently has about 1,000 troops on the ground in Latvia and it expects to ramp up that number to 2,200 persistently deployed military members by 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2024.

The Canadian Press