Canada to Acquire Bombardier Jet in Bid to Accelerate Drone Technology -- Update

By Paul Vieira

OTTAWA--Canada's research-and-development agency said it will purchase one of Bombardier's ultra long-range business jets to help accelerate the country's capacity to produce cutting-edge drones.

The National Research Council of Canada said the jet acquisition was part of planned spending totaling 900 million Canadian dollars, or the equivalent of $663 million, aimed at supporting the domestic defense sector. Canadian officials said they expect total spending related to the military--from procurement to investments in defense-related infrastructure--will total about C$500 billion by 2035, as the country races to meet spending thresholds set by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The majority of the planned C$900 million in spending unveiled Monday will be allocated toward expanding domestic capacity in drone and aerospace technologies. The research agency intends to create a so-called drone innovation hub, and purchase a Bombardier Global 6500 for defense-related technology development.

"This investment will help to advance defence and dual-use technologies to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with cutting-edge solutions while reinforcing a resilient, globally competitive defence industrial base," Canada's defense minister David McGuinty said.

Last year, the Canadian government said it would acquire a half-dozen Bombardier Global 6500 models to support missions such as medical evacuations and national-security operations.

Write to Paul Vieira at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-09-26 1338ET