OTTAWA — The federal government unveiled plans Tuesday to shell out $73 billion for national defence by the end of the decade — a staggering sum as Canada positions itself to meet aggressive NATO spending commitments.

The massive defence spending plan — which is light on specifics but presents hefty dollar figures — also hints at what’s in the government’s promised Defence Industrial Strategy and even teases a new “sovereign space-launch capability.”

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s first budget touts a towering topline figure of $81.8 billion on a cash basis over five years to build up the Canadian Armed Forces.

That amount includes $9 billion in spending Prime Minister Mark Carney already announced in June of this year so that Canada can finally meet its NATO commitment

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