Air Defense Anti-Tank System

ADATS entered service with the Canadian Army (in 1989[3]) as a mobile, M113 based system.

First systems were deployed as part of Canada's NATO contribution in West-Germany. 36 systems were delivered by 1994.[4] Cost of the system was initially $650 million. Over the life of the project, total cost reached $1.1 billion.[5]

After their return from Germany, Canadian ADATS systems were only operationally deployed once: In June 2002, they were used to defend the airspace of the G8 summit held in Kananaskis, Alberta. Canadian ADATS were never operationally deployed in Bosnia or Afghanistan.[5] As of 31 March 2011,[6] the ADATS has been withdrawn from Canadian service with no planned replacement announced.[5][7]

Canadian acquisition of the ADATS system was marred by a scandal relating to the purchase of the land where assembly of the system was to take place. The property had been bought and sold several times over a short period of time and its price inflated before it was sold to Oerlikon. It led to the resignation of Minister of State for Transport André Bissonnette who had been directly involved in the land deal, and several criminal accusations.[8]

Evaluation in 1987 on a Bradley chassis, with a 25 mm autocannon.

The ADATS cropped up from an extensive competition during which it was selected by the U.S. Army for the Forward Area Air-Defense (FAAD)[9] program under the designation MIM-146 for the missile. The US Army planned to purchase 387 systems.[5] Test results indicated that the system did not perform well in inclement weather. Ultimately the FAAD contract was cancelled in the early 1990s after the end of the Cold War.

The Royal Thai Air Force acquired one static shelter-based system from Oerlikon Canada, linked to a Skyguard fire control system.[4][10]

In the late 1990s, Canada offered the surplus ADATS systems to the Greek military as part of a Low Level Air Defence program.[11] The offer was considered but not accepted. Greece eventually purchased the Russian Tor missile system.

In September 2005, the Canadian Government and the Canadian Forces announced a modernization program, transforming the ADATS and associated command, control and communications systems into a Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle (MMEV). The MMEV was to retain and enhance ADATS anti-aircraft and anti-armor capability (85% or better engagement success rate) to meet new threats, provide indirect fire support to ground troops, and would be mounted on a LAV III wheeled armoured vehicle.

CGI Rendition of a Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle

It was to be fitted with a 3D radar, non-line-of-sight missile (using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to gather required intelligence and target location at a range of 8 km or more) and low-cost precision kill (LCPK) missile (fireable on direct shot at a >8 km range), based on a 2.75-inch rocket and advanced Battle Management Command and Control Communication Computer and Information (BMC41), including Link 11/16, to provide Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR). In July 2006, Canadian Forces Land Staff recommended the cancellation of the Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle Project.[12] The program was cancelled in November 2006.

ADATS was withdrawn from Canadian service in 2012.[13]