national defence spokesperson cheryl forrest said efforts on new contracts were underway. “work is still ongoing to sign contracts with our industry partners,” she said. “more precise details will become available as these efforts progress.”
as of 2024, the department and canadian armed forces have been authorized to make an immediate investment of $520 million into the acquisition of ammunition and explosives, forrest noted. that money will be spent over a five-year period to replenish depleted ammunition stocks.
she noted that the department was working with public services and procurement canada, which manages the munitions supply program, to secure the capability for supply of critical ammunition and small arms.
jeremy link, a pspc spokesperson, stated that, since april, the department had awarded five ammunition contracts, all to general dynamics-ordnance and tactical systems canada, for a total value of $85.5 million. all five contracts were for variations of 84-mm ammunition, he added. such ammunition is used in the carl gustaf anti-armour system employed by the canadian army.
last year, this newspaper reported that bill matthews, then deputy minister at national defence, blamed canadian industry for failing to come through with supplying ammunition and related material in the aftermath of russia’s 2022 invasion of ukraine.