Australia will expand its cooperation with NATO and send an E-7A Wedgetail early warning and airspace control aircraft to Poland in support of Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.
In a conversation with journalists, he noted that the Australian government “will expand its cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to further support Ukraine“. “At the request of NATO and Poland, a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail aircraft will be deployed to Europe in August this year to protect international humanitarian and military aid routes to Ukraine“, Marles said.
Up to 100 Department of Defense personnel are also being transferred to Poland. They will carry out their assigned tasks until November 2025.
Since March 2022, Australia has been sending weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, including Bushmaster armored personnel carriers, M777 howitzers, M113 armored vehicles, anti-tank systems and drones. The total amount of aid to Kiev during this time has exceeded $ 1 billion, of which more than $ 880 million was spent on the purchase of weapons and ammunition.
Canberra sent 90 military instructors to train the Ukrainian armed forces in the UK, and from October 2023 to March 2024 A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail reconnaissance aircraft and up to 100 service members were deployed to Ramstein Air Base in Germany to help protect Ukrainian supply routes.
There are 48 Australian citizens known to be involved in hostilities on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.