The Canadian military will be confronted with significant challenges when it begins operating its upcoming MQ-9B Reaper drones in the Arctic.
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) documents seen by Ottawa Citizen suggest that the icy, -30 Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) weather in the country’s far north will be a serious test for the Reaper’s ability to conduct its missions.
The drones will also have to operate from remote runways in the region where satellite coverage is limited.
Satellites are critical for drone operations as they are used to transmit flight instructions and surveillance data.
In addition to environmental challenges, the documents noted that Canadian military personnel do not have enough experience in operating larger drones.
Change of Plans
Plans to procure MQ-9 Reaper drones first surfaced in 2023 when Canadian military sources said the country was “setting the stage” to negotiate with the US and drone manufacturer General Atomics.
The reported value of the acquisition was five billion Canadian dollars ($3.7 billion).
Since then, Ottawa reportedly planned to build the drones’ own forward operating base in the Arctic, which will also house maintenance personnel.
But a change of plans now indicates that the unmanned platforms will use an existing forward operating base in the Arctic along with other RCAF aircraft.
To accommodate the 4,900-pound (2,223-kilogram) drone, the Canadian military is said to soon be installing new hangars and upgrading existing facilities at the base.
There will also be modifications to the drones ahead of their expected delivery in 2028 to address the difficult Arctic conditions.
