The Canadian Armed Forces is moving to speed up the acquisition of basic unmanned aerial systems, as drone-enabled warfare reshapes conflict abroad, including in Ukraine. Multiple outlets report that the Canadian Army is in the process of ramping up a program designed to deliver drones more quickly and at scale.
The coverage frames the effort as a response to lessons from modern battlefield use of drones. The Globe and Mail adds that the initiative—described as the Minerva program—has issued tenders for a range of new drone capabilities in recent months, indicating procurement is already underway rather than purely planned. Other outlets emphasize the urgency and pace of the sprint, describing the program as just starting to increase momentum.
Overall, the reports agree on the direction and timing: Canada is trying to catch up to the changing nature of warfare by rapidly acquiring foundational drone systems through a formal procurement process.
