The Canadian Armed Forces conducted a comprehensive assessment of nearly 20 drone manufacturers at a remote location near Ottawa to explore various unmanned systems and potential partnerships with adaptable companies. The event, named RED COBALT Uncrewed Systems Accelerator 2026, allowed military personnel to test aerial, ground, and maritime drones, along with long-range precision strike systems. Lt.-Gen. Darcy Molstad, overseeing the military’s joint forces command, revealed that 20 companies, predominantly Canadian, participated in the demonstration held at a test range in Killaloe, Hagarty, and Richards, Ont.
The selection criteria for participating companies included Canadian ownership or partnerships, aligning with the federal government’s recent defense industrial strategy. Despite Canada’s domestic innovation, much of the battlefield drone expertise and technology is concentrated in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Lt.-Gen. Molstad expressed confidence in Canadian companies’ ability to meet military requirements, emphasizing the necessity for agile partnerships due to the rapid evolution of drone technology, as observed in Ukraine.
The military’s specific focus lies on acquiring aerial reconnaissance and surveillance drones, ground drones for intricate terrains, and maritime platforms for surface and subsurface warfare. Additionally, they are keen on developing precision deep-strike capabilities, akin to Ukraine’s successful deployment against Russian oil facilities. While Canada has been slow in adopting dedicated drone capabilities, recent efforts include a contract with General Atomics for MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones and the procurement of Teal 2 micro drones for surveillance. The government also announced plans for a $30-million military drone research and development facility in Mirabel, Que, to further enhance Canada’s drone capabilities.