Canadian military to buy armed drones for $2.5B

The Canadian military will acquire 11 remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper drones for $2.49 billion from U.S.-based manufacturer General Atomics, the federal government announced Tuesday.
00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Murray Brewster, CBC
03:27 - David Pratt, Former defence minister
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[@jimjim7708]

Canada should invest in a domestic drone building program to drive ingenuity at home and keep the jobs here.

[@timstarkes173]

We won’t need enough drones to build our own. The new Bell V-180 Valor though Canada will need hundreds of these. We need to make a deal with Bell ASAP to build these at home. NATO will need the capability to surge production the of these if things get bad.

[@Finness894]

Hello @jimjim7708 I agree 100 % but when amerika says JUMP, Canada asks HOW HIGH. It's disgusting.

[@timstarkes173]

@@Finness894 This why don’t we have the best equipped military in the world? That’s just your insecurities talking.

[@criticalevent]

Should have at the very least made domestic manufacturing under license a condition of the bid.

[@JC-vf6ck]

MORE GOVT SUBSIDIES AND NO FREE THINKERS IN CANADA LIBERALS KILLED FREE THINKING UNLESS YOU TOW THE DICTATORS LINE!

[@shawngiver5570]

We need to invest in our own manufacturing capabilities and also upgrade our anti air and anti missile defence.

[@timstarkes173]

We won’t need enough drones to build our own. The new Bell V-180 Valor though Canada will need hundreds of these. We need to make a deal with Bell ASAP to build these at home. NATO will need the capability to surge production the of these if things get bad.

[@amazingkid98]

That’s literally what the Canadian government does with our current military equipment Upgrade with Canadian made items along with handing contracts to Quebec company with no more then a model plane over Boeing who is already making the plane we want, makes zero sense. We have agreement with the states We buy military equipment from them we get a discount and vice versa.

I think that money would go to better use if we gave it to a real military fighting a real war. Ukraine needs the $2.5 billion right now more that we do

[@michaelwang6125]

it'll be easier and cheaper to get them from alliance since i don't see how 11 MQ is worth 2 billion... ugh that's over 200 million each. felt like there is corruption involve where kickbacks (in millions)

[@ricefarmerjawsh7653]

@ most definitely not, that money would be better spent on Canada instead

[@craigrussell7542]

How lucky we are to have so many experts in this comments section.

[@carlyar5281]

I know right? As someone who at one point was an expert in this subject I have to be extremely careful on what I say even if my expertise is out of date. For those of us who have experience in this field it is quite clear who else does and who doesn’t.

[@F90M5]

Enlighten us you old narcissist.

[@GunfighterAlpha]

When and where did you serve? What qualifies you to speak with authority? I'll start. 16 years experience both civ and mil, highly qualified and experienced in joint operations How are CAS/ISR drones going to help the troops that aren't even given ammo to train with. Please Sir, humble me with your SME qualifications

[@DarrylSmith1968]

Operational by 2033, so we will pay 2.5 BILLION for drones that will be 10 years old before we get to use them. LoL.

[@MAC-vi7fy]

India is getting 31 drones for 3 billion. We are getting 11 drones for 2.5 billion WHY SO EXPENSIVE?

[@idontspeakwrong4243]

Canada NEEDS production of their own defenses

[@pezz2345]

If they're purchased from the US Canada has had an agreement with the US for a long time now where every dollar Canada puts towards purchasing military equipment from the US, the US then must go and spend the exact same amount of money over the border in Canada buying defense equipment from us as well

[@ChinnuWoW]

Against what? Who are we in conflict with? What if the money went towards reducing inflation instead?

[@CentrePeice]

Dude, we suck, no.

[@StonedViper]

@@ChinnuWoW If the US falls, with the defense we have we'll be speaking chinese within 5 years.

[@Ramxie35]

u r delusional @@StonedViper

[@joelinasia8401]

If you were to drive from Vancouver, BC to Calgary, Alberta which is a distance of about 1000 Km, you would have driven a billion millimeters. That is how enormous a billion is. So 11 drones is going to cost more than 250 million dollars EACH... As a taxpayer, I cannot imagine supporting such a ridiculous waste of money. On top of that insane cost, they are going to make the military wait 10 years to get them?!!!! Wow, you would not want this government negotiating anything for you.

[@iamLODD]

Absolutely... You have countries like Turkey producing TB-2s for 5mil a pop, iran producing unmanned uav munitions like the shahed 136 for merely 50k a pop... This is shameful

[@Nabee_H]

They're paying that inflated price so they can meet the GDP requirement for NATO,. Did you think the government actually cared about our safety? 🤣

[@screenc4p]

dawg, the country is suffering and we spend money left and right, billions and billions. Wtf.

[@harshavijay3517]

Defence cannot be paused due to inflation. Need these for threats especially the ones coming from the Middle East.

[@franceyneireland1633]

@@harshavijay3517 Nor the threat from Russia. Russia under Putin had made previous claims to the North Pole. Then in April 2021 Putin formally enlarged its claim to the seabed in the Artcic Ocean all the way to Canada's and Greenland's (Denmark's) exclusive zones. A situation where they're claiming Canadian and Danish continental shelf as the Russian continental shelf. Putin in the last decade has restored an abandoned military base and built about six new military bases in the Arctic. All are fully equipped weapons, air strips, nuclear subs which can break thru 5 feet of ice, with their military and their families living year round. Putin wants control of the Arctic sea routes and all the oil and natural resources in the Arctic. In 2018 Beijing agreed it would cooperate with Russia on a new Arctic silk route, signing 20 bilateral documents and agreeing to invest in the region. As part of this Beijing will build several Chinese docks across Russia's north in ports. According to a 2011 report Soviet Cold-War-era nautical charts of the Canadian Arctic marked with the hammer and sickle symbol surfaced published by the Russian Hydrographic Service which are more accurate than those of Canada. These charts contained many more depth soundings than corresponding modern Canadian charts. Including Nares Strait which is still choked with thick, hard, multi-year ice and would have been even more so 50 years ago, the only way the Soviet government could have acquired data for the charts is from nuclear submarines secretly patrolling it. If we can't defend our territory we will loose it.

[@waderow1]

I bet these are more for Canadians than foreign threats.

[@d.thomas6988]

I thought the reaper didnt fear the seasons , but i might have gotten that backwards

[@Eggwelder]

Well, it doesn’t mention snow

[@Mobbs3006]

CAF should take the Tampons out of mens bathrooms first..

[@clonedmosquito]

Canada should try to reduce grocery price for its citizens

[@johnbannister501]

Good Luck with that one....

[@grantjohnston7148]

Why not build our own ! We have more than enough technology to build more advanced equipment than anything else period ! Time to invest in Canada superior technologies.

[@tysonb1486]

We have to keep the Americans happy by buying their military hardware.

[@grantjohnston7148]

@@tysonb1486 But they have to stop selling high end technologies so quickly and give more time before putting certain military technologies on the market. Which they do but with very little products. Like in 2008 I believe it was when they sold invisibility suits and blankets technologies to the US almost as quickly as they developed the technology. Sure they are our closest allies, but they refuse to sell certain technologies to Canada, so it's only smart to do the same with the US. It should be a two way street. And access to the five eyes systems should never have been leased to Australia, New Zealand, UK and the US !

[@TheBHAitken]

2.5 Billion for ELEVEN (?????) drones? WTF?

[@flakcannonhans6170]

That cost includes hundreds of new personnel, new weapons, new hangers, new ground control stations, etc.

[@sophiecawlishaw5245]

If i remember correctly, we made some of the 1st drones in the early 80's in Montreal at canadair.

[@cuttingman007]

Creating game consoles and recruiting bunch of kids is Such a Waste of money !

[@MAC-vi7fy]

What the heck? US is selling the same drones to india for cheaper, India is getting 31 drones for 3 billion. We are getting 11 drones for 2.5 billion WHY?

[@soldier1661]

Who is the seller/manufacturer?

[@Wargutz666]

1:49 it's says on the graphics. Reading and watching at the same time is hard for some people.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

11 drones ... for the World's second largest country ... they'll disappear into Canadian geography.

[@clappercl]

That's the point, lol. Besides, they will be used to survey specific areas for search & rescue and to monitor shipping lanes within Canada like the report said. I doubt they'll just fly them about to see the scenery, lol. Outside of Canada they'll also have designated Areas of Responsibilty (AoR), not just left to fly around randomly.

[@criticalevent]

Placing my bet now, there will be 6 of them in serviceable condition after the first 5 years of ownership.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

@@clappercl I'm a Veteran. They'll have one ready to fly at Greenwood when there is a problem in BC.

[@clappercl]

@@abrahamdozer6273 I'm a Veteran too. La di dah. 🤷‍♂️ Guess that makes my opinions beyond reproach as well. Every airforce base in Canada has at least one of every QR bird fueled, warmed and ready for an emergency at all times. I doubt they'll have one of these designated as QR considering their roll seems to not involve it's need but I guess we'll see.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

@@clappercl No, I just know goddam well that there is close to zero chance that a measily 11 drones are going to get the job done. You must know all about making bricks without straw. It's an old Canadian military tradition. (Sorry that you're so ashamed of your service, btw.)

[@paulbarz230]

why not buy same capability from Iran army cost will be four time or cheaper. make MQ9 capability!

[@GunfighterAlpha]

2.5B for drones while our soldiers don't even have ammo to train. Oh Canada, what happened to you.

[@MAC-vi7fy]

What the heck? US is selling the same drones to india for cheaper, India is getting 31 drones for 3 billion. We are getting 11 drones for 2.5 billion WHY?

[@GunfighterAlpha]

​@@MAC-vi7fy How military procurement works in Canada would shake you to your core. The sheer amount of oversight and unnecessary costs involved are ludicrous to put it lightly. This is on the Canadian Govt, not the US.

[@bobthekobb]

We needed those, this is great.

[@tonycobb9059]

11 drones with 14 hellfire missiles each the cost just over 375million. So whats the extra? 10000 extra missiles or kick backs?

[@yxeaviationphotog]

Extra weapons, infrastructure upgrades, training, operation over its lifetime, etc.

[@tonycobb9059]

Infrastructure all along the north is constantly being upgraded and maintained. Contracts were won by another company last year. In saying that 2.5 is nothing compared to what has gone to Ukraine China etc.

[@yxeaviationphotog]

@@tonycobb9059 When I'm talking infrastructure, what I mean is facilities at the home bases for storage, maintenance and training.

[@richard_the_lion_farted]

I'm all for it. Patrolling the North and being able to loiter is a NEED not a want. In fact, I think Canada should be all over producing drones like this for ourselves. Why only 11?

[@Headinavise]

Why only 11 ? This country is broke. We can't pay to look after our own veterans. Most people I know are living pay check to pay check and cost of living is putting people in debt more and more every year. Canada can not afford a military.

[@user-um1si4hz8e]

When it comes to adding new equipment, you need to build the infrastructure and train units to use them. After you have the capability established you can scale up depending on requirements . The Americans only operate a couple of these near Ukraine and they are doing enough. These drones are big with a significant range and firepower.

[@Alex-js5lg]

11 for now. Hopefully our next PM takes our NATO commitments seriously.

[@YanBrassard]

They don't want more or less than what they need due to cost constraints. Unless you want the government to increase the defence budget significantly. We also need humans to pilot these drones, maybe there are human resource constraints as well. The thing is, I'm not in the military, nor am I a military analyst or a government official, so I have no idea what the needs are to cover the north pole.

[@eddietat95]

The idea is to get the experience of operating armed drones. 11 for now, more of a different and perhaps more advanced type later. The MQ-9 is already about one or two decades old and there is already new stuff being made available from the US and Europe.

[@timcgale8117]

About time for Canada to spend some money on our future defense but wouldn't it be better and cheaper to build our own ?

[@F90M5]

Funny that you say that. Plenty of other countries with less defense budget that are way safer. Why? Simply because they mind their own business.

[@MAC-vi7fy]

India is getting 31 drones for 3 billion. We are getting 11 drones for 2.5 billion WHY SO EXPENSIVE?

[@JH-zx2bh]

​@@MAC-vi7fyindia wont be using its drones in the arctic plus im not 100% sure but i dont think we have the proper infrastructure for them the air bases gotta be upgraded to be able to have them same as the f35s

[@victorw2008]

Defund the cbc

[@Wargutz666]

Deep on the spectrum aren't ya....

[@gemlifemoments]

If is it taking 2 decades to get anything procured, then it is time to rehaul procurement and decision making processes.

[@jamesbruce8749]

I'd imagine these are long range and a lot more capable then say the cardboard cheap ones Australia are making by the hundreds to yeet at that Russians in Ukraine. I'd say we need to boost the Military manufacturing in Canada if it takes up to 10 years for equipment, we may as well ramp up production and make some of this stuff here.

[@ZoomZoomMX3]

I would say we also need 3d mobile drone production capabilities Or at least some sort of small drone production capabilities

[@Stevethelightingguy]

These drones are the size of an airplane, the cardboard drones are significantly smaller. But I agree with the overall point, drone manufacturing should be developed here.

[@criticalevent]

At $32 million USD each they must be made of platinum.

[@Tomcat5837]

The problem with homegrown equipment is when it breaks during a deployment and you're out of parts you need, none of our allies can give us spare parts they may have on hand to fix it because none of them use it. This was a real problem with the CP-107 Argus, it would get grounded during a deployment overseas while the parts were shipped in from Canada.

[@criticalevent]

@@Stevethelightingguy $32 million is what the drone costs, we are paying $235 million for training and parts on each one? What a bargin.

[@johndelong5574]

Will it make the trip from ottawa to Calgary

[@callsignpizza]

Wont need to. They will be stationed in many places. Comox BC (Close enough to Calgary), Ottawa, Greenwood Nova Scotia. They have decent range but we will also have close enough locations to cover all parts of Canada.

[@ludicrousmodel3173]

We need to expand our military quite abit. We should get more fighter aircraft and Navy vessels.

[@caryfrancis7412]

Can we just build them in Canada ?

[@flakcannonhans6170]

That would be expensive if we only need a dozen. It would likely be cheaper to buy from someone else if we don’t look to use that many

[@edh3820]

So 1 of these units has an approx. cost of $32 million USD / each. I know that there is required support and infastructor but this adds up to $227 million / unit.... WTF!

[@HSkraekelig]

cost of ownership is calculated for the life of the system. You don't just buy a car and you're done. You have to add repair and maintenance, spare parts and training, etc.

[@davidtiessen7713]

@@HSkraekelig yeah and that aint double the cost of the vehicle let along 9X.

[@edh3820]

since when is the cost of maintenance, spare parts and training equal 7 to 1. When I buy a new car that has an initial cost of 70K I don't include and additional cost of 420K in the equation to keep it on the road for it's life expectancy do you?

[@timstarkes173]

Control systems in Ottawa. Parts and maintenance. 220 Hellfire missiles

[@timstarkes173]

Also, the publicly stated prices of these is propaganda. Same with hellfire missiles only being “150” grand. More like half a mill or full mill

[@mashpotato832]

The platform can be completely disabled by the USA.

[@colej7973]

are these reaper drones eco freindly

[@pizzmo8256]

You'll know as soon as they are flying around your home watching you. Don't post.They'll see this post because they control google, now too.

[@ArchersPlace]

if you use these drones for illegal fishing monitoring im done with this country lmfao.

[@lindaanber6717]

Why? The money could be better spent elsewhere.

[@nickremy7663]

That Is $227 272 727 per drone. That is absolutely irresponsible to spend that kind of money per drone. What a waste of tax payers dollars. I'm sure the troops could use that money in far more efficient ways

[@Solo_Wargame]

Just in case the truckers get too uppity next year...

[@sweetrollofnirn]

20 years of debate for 11 drones that the government does not know if they have the capability to operate in the arctic or not.

[@a.c.e.7568]

Whatever for? Stop pi$$ing my tax dollars away.

[@zakmirza9546]

Nuts paying $230M per drone. F35 doesn't cost this much.

[@tysonb1486]

The f35 range is poor and extremely expensive to run.

[@georgejones8784]

We have to build 2 ground control stations (because we always need 2). How does that quote go? "Why build one, when you can have 2 for twice the price?" That's likely where most of the money is going. They're only US$20m each or so. Plus the hellfires.

[@gregrogers4376]

where are you buying your F-35s? Toys R Us?

[@georgejones8784]

@@tysonb1486 that's ok. They'll probably just put on external drop tanks for extended range since I haven't seen an order for more tankers. Our current sidewinders, sparrows and bombs won't fit either, so there will be a few more purchases in the near future.

[@ray9551]

And Cbc, you know what you can do!!!

[@JamieHumeCreative]

Awesome!

[@billjames8036]

Too bad Canuckastan over the years has done very little if anything to help out our own manufacturing and now we just send our tax $$ to everyone else.

[@heartborne123]

drones industry becomes more and more profitable

[@archie_bunker]

how so? they are not telling you the actual numbers..

[@heartborne123]

@@archie_bunker The whole world keeps buying drones

[@archie_bunker]

@@heartborne123 Canada is in no shape to buy an drones. Help the homeless and the people in need first.

[@BudzzableRides]

Why?

[@sebast3yoramos762]

Not enough for a big country

[@mikeymike758]

Why? Just to give them away to another country?

[@reynaldotorres2612]

Why 2.5billions for only 11 drones. That is too much money to pay for only 11 drones. For that money they should getting 100 drones at least.

[@joel455667]

Swear this better not affect my taxes

[@pdnowlin]

Oh it will

[@fatshrimp2167]

Waste of money. Use that to increase housing would be more beneficial to Canadians.

[@oliverclosehoff8036]

Further waste of our dollars

[@Scotian6444]

What we need is a autonomous mother sub that has autonomous surface drones attached to pockets in the hull... those having surface to air capabilities along with anti ship... sub never has to surfaces.. just let the boat go and pops to the surface... could even delay that action by having the boat blow ballist... so the sub is out of the area when it surfaces.... we need to obtain the articulated tracked rescue vehicles that the oil industry uses up north... have a few variants... one with a drill and torps along with hydrophone... sonar.... radar for air... and surface to air launch capabilities.... drop them off with the new artic patrol vessels... fly resupply to them once in place.... we need to look at something like the tomahawk and scale it up. We need un manned radar in the air that can refuel off a f-15... have a line of contact with air power in the rear.... f-35 is a great option for war... but a expensive surveillance aircraft.... at least the f-15 has the payload... they f around than we target them from a few thousand km away... lauch something that can make it to space and come back down....

[@Scotian6444]

Seeing we can do air refueling there should be no reason we can not rearm in the air as well for autonomous craft... same sub sea... gone are the days of big bad in one place military infrastructure

[@colinrobert-kv2up]

A local net work ground stattion maintenance contractors non-member private sector, monitoring us?

[@redtoad3306]

Lol, you know what has been tested in artic weather for decades and can carry arms and cameras? The Canuck Clunk.

[@furycorp]

Meanwhile Ukraine is showing the world that Canada requires the capability to produce large volumes of a variety of cheap expendable drones with different specialties that are resilient to electronic countermeasures... instead of a handful of near-irreplaceable exorbitant-cost monsters that can be shot down or jammed by modern AA + EW systems

[@chillxxx241]

They are using cheap drones because that’s what is available to them.

[@treebush]

we already use cheap drones in the miltary as a matter of fact we use the oldest drones that require launchers.

[@chillxxx241]

There are very expensive modern drones that require launchers too.

[@nasha710]

why all of the countries have "ministries of defense" while all we see is offensive actions most of the time?

[@reynaldotorres2612]

An F35 war plane cost about $65 millions. Why a drone cost more than a the most advance war plane? Something is fishy here.

[@suetilston8733]

Just imagine how all that money could/would help the homeless!!

[@archie_bunker]

remember when the left hated weapons? lmao

[@gregrogers4376]

Hmm, maybe if a few homeless would quit drinking and doing drugs they might not be homeless....jus' sayin'

[@suetilston8733]

@@gregrogers4376 and that's all it takes??

[@archie_bunker]

@@gregrogers4376 agreed Greg

[@c.s.7097]

Defund the cbc.

[@Joe-pl5fc]

I'm looking at a bunch of drones, from hell, yeah that's right.

[@johnbannister501]

Spending THREE HUNDRED MILLION (Canadian $) PER UNIT. ..is WAY OVER THE TOP OF SPENDING OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

[@toadperras3911]

32 million for 1 mq9 drone.. somehow ends up costing 227 000 000$ each... Hopefully thats with the maintenance and associated cost for it's whole life...

[@TheSiriusEnigma]

2.5 billions for 11 drones? Wtf? At 200 000 000$ a pop, you can get better for cheaper. Much better! The current prices makes this purchase pointless.

[@bcherbs]

SMH, no used ones ?

[@mlaudisa]

Excellent, we can now watch the arctic being invaded from the comfort of our home office.

[@lukeamato2348]

Wont be invaded , russias navy is going to be half gone

[@georgejones8784]

Their range is only 2000km depending on the version. They're not going to see much. It's yet to be proven that there's sufficient satellite coverage further north.

[@abdulalkhaleel7743]

They spend our money on ridiculous things instead of investing it in things to develop Canada

[@timstarkes173]

You think sovereignty is ridiculous? That’s sad. Do you also believe democracy and free speech are also ridiculous?

[@timstarkes173]

We need more jobs. Not more handouts.

[@abdulalkhaleel7743]

What is the definition of sovereignty when you cannot shoot down a balloon ?

[@trevorschwartz9774]

I can just see Trueterd droning the next protest.

[@mnufeld8448]

Emerencies act was almost 2 years ago in for 6 days , and even mandates for air travel gone now for ar least a year or 18 months .. also Ambassador Bridge ,Canadas #1 trade route was cleared peacefully then after a whole week of protests .

[@sundragon7703]

$2.5 billion may seem like a lot. It's the initial cost that's massive, which includes drones and all that brand new infrastructure to support the drones...then there is training from General Atomics and the US DoD. At least the MoD doesn't have to spend money on satellites for navigation and communications.

[@criticalevent]

These 11 are over $226 million each, I think we are the ones paying for the satellites.

[@timstarkes173]

And 219 Hellfire missiles too. Which will be compatible with our F-35s.

[@Finness894]

Don't even know if they will work in our North. Good thinking Ottawa. Or lack there of!!!

I think that money would go to better use if we gave it to a real military fighting a real war. Ukraine needs the $2.5 billion right now more that we do

[@carlyar5281]

@@Finness894 they can and have operated in the arctic in Canada. The first demonstration was conducted in 2004 in Canadian airspace over Baffin Island. The biggest limitation at that time was satellite coverage .

[@SilvaManVids]

What a waste of money..They'll end up buying them and giving them away.

[@archie_bunker]

best comment yet. finally someone with some common sense.

[@cephalotus1013]

@@archie_bunker What aircraft has Canada given away? The common sense is certainty lacking in your post.

[@archie_bunker]

@@cephalotus1013 me thinks you are on board with this 2.5 billion dollar waist of money which could be spent in much better ways. I remember a time when liberals were against spending on weapons lmao

[@cephalotus1013]

@@archie_bunker Exactly, you have zero idea what you're talking about so maybe you shouldn't speak?

[@antikdeela5625]

waste of money build houses instead

[@gregrogers4376]

For who? - You? Get lost, pay for your own house.

[@pdnowlin]

@@gregrogers4376🤡

[@Kaiser-Soze]

Stop…just stop ..

[@lordfogg9728]

Is it electric?

[@aramkiss]

Why and where are you planning to use them?

[@mikerodrigues2906]

Over your house , where else ?

[@vanhoot2234]

arctic survellience. as sea ice melts that will be a major shipping path that can be capitalized on if you can secure safe passage of cargo.

[@Zreknarf]

@@vanhoot2234 did we watch the same video? they're stationed in nova scotia and BC and they don't have arctic capability

[@ArthurB26]

Protests against the government

[@gregrogers4376]

Maybe you should actually watch the video before yapping.

[@bakochoi]

oh neat something for them to use against their citizens

[@Wargutz666]

Nah, that's something that happens in your country

[@bakochoi]

@@Wargutz666 my country is the country in question. considering we had our bank accounts froze because of the wrong protest should be proof enough that they would use drones on their own population

[@Zach4430]

227 million per drone!

[@jamesandrews1130]

So who are we going to give them too?

[@cephalotus1013]

What aircraft has Canada given away?

[@CambiDred17]

And give them all away.

[@mehjabeeny4220]

Grocery is out of range, why not money spending on it first

[@cinpeace353]

Rather invest in healthcare or housing.

[@bobwoods1302]

Great news.

[@nate8932]

Damn, we can't even build our own drones, how pathetic😑

[@princegreen6699UKMONARCHY]

Drones for best for reconnaissance

[@samuelsnowing]

I believe drone is the future of air force. But 11 for 2.5 billion is way overpriced.

[@dragon26ist]

Another foreign purchase we don’t need to do

[@sYd6point7]

remember raytheon... and many others.... yeah...

[@willyc7873]

I said to use against Canadians and youtube censored me, so it must be true

[@eileengascoyne7936]

Another waste of money

[@simpledragon]

There should be a Canadian military base in Churchill, as it is our most Northern Port city.

[@davidcox8945]

Bwahaha!… now we can shoot down weather balloons all by ourselves!……… what a joke this country is

[@pdnowlin]

It is getting worse and worse by the day.

[@flakcannonhans6170]

I'm getting exhausted writing replies. The 2.5 billion is not just for the drones, that includes ammunition, new personnel + training, hangers, ground control stations, etc. We are not paying 200 bazillion dollars per drone

[@callsignpizza]

Next thing I would like to see more of is anti-air capabilities as well. Whether this be SAM sites set up in specific regions or by other means. We also need to fix our manpower issues but it is nice to finally see us spending money on modern equipment. Between the F-35, P8's and now the MQ-9...this is a good start.

[@jeffmaxwell7391]

F35 is junk

[@ZoomZoomMX3]

How about as Ukraine has been screaming small drones for infantry is a huge force multiplier

[@Stevethelightingguy]

​@ZoomZoomMX3 that's more of an infantry/army need than anything to do with air defense strategy. But I agree, small drones should be made here.

[@joelinasia8401]

@@ZoomZoomMX3 Billions and billions and billions and billions and the Ukraine is lost.

[@4loops43]

Can we afford a couple slingshots for defense? 😂

[@colinrobert-kv2up]

Move now gettem sir .

[@user-jb2oo8ym9f]

Total F UP funds for our military could be better used. So who got the pay off.

[@johnnyboyvan]

Waste of money 💰. Foolish.

[@brienemard]

200 million a piece is kinda steep..

[@flakcannonhans6170]

its not 200 per drone

[@Aaron_Syme]

So... We need to get them certified first to even operate in canadian air space... secondly.. we have to ask permission if we can even buy the missiles to arm them? We just spent 2.5 billion on a hope and a prayer then yeah?

[@ehontcan]

Too bad it might take 10 years to put them up there

[@toliverwrist6770]

No money for health care or infrastructure, though...

[@bobypet-de3tn]

Why why why why

[@carlyar5281]

Arctic surveillance is one of the biggest drivers of this need. This is going to fill a capability gap that puts Canadian sovereignty add increasing risk as the polar ice melts.

[@LemuelSarkis-dl5kk]

And then JT can donate them to Begginsky's giant military toilet bowl

[@crzy11000]

Or they could not and then send your son to Poland or Romania when Nato is in a fight with Moscow. That sounds much more reasonable to me.

[@ethanragbir8311]

@@crzy11000 Ukraine will lose the war with or without NATO support, Russia would also never attack NATO countries. No Americans or NATO members would be in direct confrontation with Russia unless warmongering Dems use a false flag.