By Dan Middlemiss, 6 August 2025
DND has announced the awards of 2 contracts to MDA Space for an initial two uncrewed aircraft systems and up to 4 additional systems for ISTAR. The initial 2 acquisitions are valued at approximately $39 million (taxes included) CDN, and the5-year in-service contract is worth $27 million (taxes included).[1]
Initial operational capability is expected in 2028, with the full operational capability anticipated in 2032. The systems will be operated from the RCN’s Halifax-class frigates.
DND notes that the twin contracts could contribute $18 million annually to Canada’s GDP, and create or maintain 145 jobs a year over a 5-year period, and could be extended up to 20 years.
Indications are that the systems will revolve around the S-100 Camcopter platform and will likely feature the Wescam MX-8 EO/IR system as well as IMSAR’s NSP synthetic aperture radar.[2]
Notes
1. Ottawa, DND, “Royal Canadian Navy to Enhance Maritime Operations with New Uncrewed Aircraft Systems”, News Release, 5 August 2025. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2025/08/royal-canadian-navy-to-enhance-maritime-operations-with-new-uncrewed-aircraft-systems.html
2. Noah, “BREAKING: The Government of Canada announces MDA and the S-100 for the Royal Canadian Navy’s ISTAR project”, True North Strategic Review, 5 August 2025. https://noahscornerofrandomstuff.substack.com/p/breaking-the-government-of-canada
Image: An image of a Schiebel Camcopter S-100 for the European Maritime Safety Agency taken in 2021. Credit: Schiebel Group via Wikimedia
3 thoughts on “RCN to Receive New UAS for ISTAR”
It should be interesting when more details come out as to the ISTAR’s detailed payload capabilities. Obviously it will have IR/Surveillance payload, but using which model of EOSS payload? Perhaps L3 Harris MX-8?
Also, will it indeed have an NSP-3 or NSP-5 synthetic aperture radar? Given an optical payload such as MX-8 has IR, it has me pondering how much more functionality does a synthetic aperture radar actually provide?
I am also curious to read of its other potential payloads, where I speculate a sonobuoy dispensing device? And maybe a sonobuoy data receiver/transmitter for providing a link from sonobuoys back to the destroyer.
And maybe just a simple empty small container as a payload, such that the drone can carry any small vital equipment from one warship to another warship [i.e., spare parts, medicine].
Another (less likely I speculate) capability could be a SIGINT (or Radar ESM) receiver.
Also, for the surveillance aspects, I wonder how the integration will work? Presumably not only a stand alone workstation, but maybe an integration into CMS330 on the Halifax Class.
And finally, I puzzle why only the one referenced link mentions the Schiebel Camcopter S-100 as the chosen UAS? With time – I speculate – more detail will be known.
Further to my previous post, I note that MDA have tested a radar of theirs on the S-100.
Here is a link to a Youtube video of S100 (it does a nice job of showing the size) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qidq95_dv4Y
And further here is a PDF press release of Scheibel’s that notes they’re testing a radar with MDA: https://schiebel.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/
Here is some additional detail thanks to Noah, “MDA shows off the RCN S-100 + answering some questions on the platform”, https://noahscornerofrandomstuff.substack.com/p/mda-shows-off-the-rcn-s-100-answering.