Canada's military has announced a $1.87 billion deal with General Atomics to acquire 11 armed drones, which will be used for missions such as deploying troops abroad and monitoring the country's territories.
In addition to the drones, the deal, totaling $2.49 billion CAD (1.7 billion euros), includes the purchase of ground control stations, hangars, and missiles to arm these aircraft.
Defense Minister Bill Blair said the purchase will ensure that Canada "has a modern, adaptable military that is prepared to respond to evolving and emerging security challenges."
The statement from the Defense Ministry further noted that the armed drones will enable the Canadian Armed Forces to monitor Canada's vast territories and long coastlines.
These aircraft will support civil assistance operations such as responding to wildfires and floods," according to the ministry.
The Canadian military is expected to receive the first of these armed drones in 2028.
It noted that these drones, known as "MQ-9B Sky Guardian have the capability to fly long distances and operate independently, and they will only be armed when the mission requires it.
The size of these armed drones is comparable to that of a fighter aircraft.
This deal comes at a time when the Canadian Air Force is in the process of updating its aging fleet with new fighter jets, specifically the F-35s.
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