The Canadian Armed Forces conducted a rigorous assessment of nearly twenty drone manufacturers on Wednesday at a remote site west of Ottawa to explore various types of unmanned vehicles and potential partnerships with adaptable companies. The event, dubbed RED COBALT Uncrewed Systems Accelerator 2026, allowed military personnel to test aerial, ground, and maritime drones, as well as long-range precision strike systems. Lt.-Gen. Darcy Molstad, overseeing the military’s joint forces command, highlighted the participation of twenty companies, with eighteen being Canadian, in the demonstration held at a test range in Killaloe, Hagarty, and Richards, Ont.
Among the selection criteria for participating companies was Canadian ownership or collaborations, aligning with the federal government’s defense industrial strategy. While domestic suppliers are innovative, much of the practical drone expertise and technology reside in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Molstad expressed confidence in Canadian companies’ ability to meet military requirements, emphasizing the need for agile partners due to the rapid evolution of drone technology.
The military’s specific focus includes acquiring aerial reconnaissance and surveillance drones, ground drones capable of maneuvering complex terrain, and maritime platforms for surface and subsurface warfare. Additionally, they are interested in precision deep-strike capability, similar to tactics used in Ukraine. Despite the growing presence of drones in modern warfare over the past two decades, the Canadian military has been slow to adopt dedicated drone capabilities, with limited use of surveillance drones, including leased units in Afghanistan.
In 2023, the federal government signed a contract with General Atomics to procure 11 MQ-9B SkyGuardian (CQ-9B Guardian) long-range armed remotely piloted aircraft systems, scheduled for delivery starting in 2028. Over the past two years, the military has acquired a fleet of 50 Teal 2 micro drones from the United States for local surveillance. The government also recently announced plans to establish a $30 million military drone research and development facility in Mirabel, Que.