OTTAWA—The Department of National Defence is looking at the possibility of complementing its incoming F-35 fleet with uncrewed combat aircraft.
Unclassified documents obtained by The Canadian Press show the department is researching various options for acquiring the emerging technology.
The documents suggest that purchasing a fleet of aerial combat drones that could fly alongside fighter jets could cost as much as $16 billion and would require hundreds of staff.
That cost estimate is in the upper range. The price tag and other aspects of the emerging technology remain uncertain, and the fact that the government is researching combat drones doesn’t guarantee that Canada will buy any….