Canada plans to spend at least 2.3 billion Canadian dollars (about 1.8 billion U.S. dollars) on the development, procurement, and deployment of advanced combat drones and counter-drone systems. The funding is provided for in the 2026 draft federal budget, which has been submitted to Parliament for consideration.
According to the budget document, "Budget 2026 proposes allocating 2.3 billion dollars over five years to the Department of National Defense to accelerate the development, acquisition, and deployment of unmanned systems and countermeasures." The funds will be directed toward implementing a defense drone initiative and accelerating countermeasure technologies against enemy drones, with funding scheduled to begin in the 2027–2028 fiscal year.
As reported by Ukrinform, Canada and Ukraine signed several agreements in September on the joint production of drones and the exchange of advanced combat experience during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Canada. Additionally, the Canadian government reported that Canada has committed to transferring one-third of all combat drones manufactured on its territory to Ukraine.
Earlier, Canada released a national security strategy focused on protecting the country's sovereignty, representing the first such document presented by Ottawa since 2004. On October 22, 2026, the Royal Canadian Air Force received its first two Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, U.S., with their arrival announced the following day. The aircraft will be designated CF-35A within the Royal Canadian Air Force and will remain in the U.S. for pilot training.
