The increasing availability of sophisticated drone technology has led the Department of National Defence (DND) to move to take “critical” steps to counter “unauthorized drone activity” that could threaten Canadian military installations.
Global News reported last week the department was looking to purchase anti-drone defences for military facilities on Canadian soil, similar to the protection given to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel deployed in Europe.
The story was based on federal procurement documents, but the records provided no detail on what systems DND is looking to purchase, or what threat the department envisions deploying drones on Canadian soil.
In a statement this week, a DND spokesperson said that as drone technology becomes more widespread and capable, “defence and security organizations (are examining) how best to address the risks.”
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“(Counter-drone) capabilities are a critical consideration in modern security and defence planning,” Laura McIntyre-Grills wrote in a statement to Global News.
“DND has procurement activities planned to support the continued evolution and enhancement of its approach to countering (drone) threats, building on existing measures and capabilities. This work forms part of broader efforts to support the CAF’s ability to effectively respond to evolving operational and security requirements and enhance the security of defence establishments.”
McIntyre-Grills noted that due to operational security reasons, the department would not comment on specifics, and that some aspects of the procurement will be subject to a national security exception and kept from public release.
As part of the Canadian NATO deployment in Latvia aimed at deterring Russian aggression, Canadian military leaders have closely watched the evolution of drone warfare in Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces have deployed low-cost but highly-effective drones in the efforts to push back Russia’s invasion force. Reuters reported earlier this year that drone-related casualties in the conflict have jumped from 10 per cent of the total in 2022 to roughly 80 per cent in 2025.
The skies above Ukraine’s battlefields are now haunted by the unmanned machines, making troop and artillery movement much more dangerous. Both Ukraine and Russia deploy drones to strike at the opposing side’s territory. On Oct. 8, a Russian drone blitz killed four and injured 19 others in Kyiv and led to emergency energy shutdowns, according to the Kyiv Independent.
This year the Canadian military embarked on a multi-year research and procurement project to boost Canada’s drone capabilities, called the Drone Defence Initiative (DDI). Through the project, the Canadian government hopes to “accelerate” research, development, adaptation and production of drones for use by both the CAF and the Canadian Coast Guard.
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