Air Force Aiming to Have Armed Drones in the Air in Next Six Years: Commander

The Royal Canadian Air Force is hoping to pull the trigger on the purchase of new drones within six years after spending nearly two decades weighing different options. The Canadian Forces has been working since the early 2000s to find unmanned aerial vehicles that can conduct surveillance over Canada’s vast territory and support overseas missions. Yet aside from purchasing a small number of temporary, unarmed drones for the war in Afghanistan, the military has never been able to make much progress on a permanent fleet.

A Heron pilotless spy drone, operated by the Canadian military, sits in a hangar at Kandahar Airfield on July 5, 2010. The Canadian Press/Bill Graveland

OTTAWA—The Royal Canadian Air Force is hoping to pull the trigger on the purchase of new drones within six years after spending nearly two decades weighing different options.

The Canadian Forces has been working since the early 2000s to find unmanned aerial vehicles that can conduct surveillance over Canada’s vast territory and support overseas missions.