The Canadian Armed Forces conducted a rigorous assessment of nearly 20 drone manufacturers at a remote site 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 alongside long-range precision strike systems, according to Lt.-Gen. Darcy Molstad, head of the military’s joint forces command.
Twenty companies, with the majority being Canadian, participated in the demonstration held in Killaloe, Hagarty, and Richards, Ontario. The selection criteria included Canadian ownership or collaborations, aligning with the federal government’s defense industrial strategy. While Canadian suppliers are innovative, much of the battlefield drone expertise and technology is concentrated in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
Lt.-Gen. Molstad expressed confidence in Canadian firms’ ability to meet military requirements, emphasizing the need for agile partners due to the rapid evolution of drone technology. The military is specifically seeking aerial reconnaissance and surveillance drones, ground drones for complex terrains, maritime platforms for surface and subsurface warfare, and precision deep-strike capabilities akin to Ukraine’s tactics against Russian facilities.
Despite a delayed adoption of dedicated drone capabilities, the Canadian military is progressing, with plans to acquire MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones from General Atomics and Teal 2 micro drones for local surveillance. The government recently announced the establishment of a $30 million military drone research and development facility in Mirabel, Quebec, further enhancing Canada’s drone capabilities.
