Ottawa signs contract with Canadian firm to make drones for Halifax-class ships

The Halifax-class frigate HMCS Toronto passes under the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge on Dec. 23, 2020. (Andrew Vaughan / The Canadian Press)

OTTAWA — The federal government has contracted a Canadian firm to outfit the Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class ships with a small fleet of aerial drones.

Ottawa announced it has awarded two contracts to MDA Space for up to six advanced “uncrewed aircraft systems” for the Navy’s patrol frigates.

The Department of National Defence says in a news release that this will boost the navy’s long-range maritime surveillance abilities.

The department has earmarked $39 million to acquire the first two drones, with an option of ordering another four.

The initial five-year service contract is estimated to be worth $27 million and its time frame could be extended by the department to 20 years.

The new drone capability is expected to start coming online in 2028 and to be working at full capacity by 2032.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.