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Royal Canadian Navy will start operating class 2 UAVs in 2028

10th September 2025 - 11:40 GMT | by Flavia Camargos Pereira in Kansas City, Missouri

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Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate Calgary. (Photo: DVIDS)

Acquired under Canada’s Department of National Defence ISTAR UAS project, the drones will be deployed from the Halifax-class frigates.

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) will operate class 2 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the first time in 2028. The drones will equip Halifax-class frigates in order to increase their over-the-horizon situational awareness and lethality against emerging naval and aerial threats in the country’s waters and overseas.

The UAVs will be provided by the Toronto-headquartered company MDA Space. Last week, the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) awarded the vendor two contracts worth more than CAD$66 million ($47.6 million).

The agreements cover the initial supply of the two systems and five years of support. The deals, though, can be extended up

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Flavia Camargos Pereira

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Flavia Camargos Pereira


Flavia Camargos Pereira is a North America editor at Shephard Media. She joined the company …

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