The beyond-visual-line-of-sight UAS is aboard a naval offshore patrol vessel for operations in the High North.
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has for the first time deployed a ship carrying a Textron long-range uncrewed aircraft.
Ottawa says the HMCS Max Bernays offshore patrol vessel deployed to the Arctic with a Textron Aerosonde UAS as part of Operation Latitude 2026. The recurring operation is part of Canada’s permanent presence in the High North, according to Ottawa, meant to demonstrate the country’s ability to operate “routinely and effectively” in northern waters, including the Bering Sea.
Operation Latitude 2026 began in late July and will also involve the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Lockheed CP-140 Aurora/P-3 Orion patrol aircraft.
“Through regular, professional and coordinated activities, we reinforce Arctic sovereignty, protect Canada’s northern approaches and defend North American territory against evolving security threats,” says Lieutenant-General Steve Boivin, head of Canadian Joint Operations Command.
The inclusion of Textron’s beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) vertical take-off and landing Aerosonde quadrotor is new to the Latitude deployment. It comes as the RCN prepares to launch sea trials with the Shiebel S-100 uncrewed rotorcraft, which Canada designates as the CU179 Peregrine.
“The deployment will help evaluate how UAS can support maritime operations in Canada’s north while generating valuable insights to inform future capabilities, including the upcoming at-sea testing of the CU179 Peregrine,” the office of the assistant deputy minister of materiel for defence says.
Canada took delivery of the RCN’s first S-100 in July, joining the navies of France, Greece and the UK. The service plans to employ the rotary-wing UAS to support long-range surveillance and targeting operations.
The S-100s will fly in conjunction with Canada’s Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopters that provide air support to the Halifax frigates.
Textron is partnered with Alberta-based firm Canadian UAVs to offer the Aerosonde to the Canadian armed forces. Canadian UAVs says the Max Bernays deployment happened only eight weeks after the company received the contract for Latitude 2026 – a period that included an airworthiness assessment.
The company has received a delegation of authority for BVLOS certification from civil aviation regulator Transport Canada.
The US Navy and Marine Corps have deployed Aerosonde UAS aboard their ships using a contractor-owned/contractor-operated model with Textron.
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