The Canadian Armed Forces recently conducted a testing event involving nearly two dozen drone manufacturers at a remote location near Ottawa. The event, named RED COBALT Uncrewed Systems Accelerator 2026, allowed military personnel to explore various types of aerial, ground, and maritime drones, as well as long-range precision strike systems. According to Lt.-Gen. Darcy Molstad, who oversees the military’s joint forces command, the demonstration included participation from twenty companies, with the majority being Canadian-owned or in partnerships in line with the government’s defense industrial strategy.
Molstad expressed confidence in Canadian companies’ ability to meet the military’s technological requirements, emphasizing the need for agility due to the rapid evolution of drone technology. The military is particularly interested in acquiring aerial reconnaissance and surveillance drones, ground drones for complex terrains, and maritime platforms for surface and subsurface operations. Additionally, they are exploring precision deep-strike capabilities, similar to those employed by Ukraine in targeting Russian facilities.
While the Canadian military has been relatively slow in adopting dedicated drone capabilities, recent developments include signing a contract for MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones and acquiring Teal 2 micro drones for surveillance purposes. Furthermore, the government announced the establishment of a $30 million military drone research and development facility in Mirabel, Quebec, to further enhance drone capabilities.
