Canada’s Coast Guard is set to begin routine test flights this summer of the Hermes 900 Starliner UAV made by Israel’s Elbit Systems, according to a CBC report. The drone was originally acquired by Canada’s Transport Ministry in 2020 and was recently transferred to the Coast Guard as part of a government restructuring under Prime Minister Mark Carney aimed at consolidating surveillance assets and helping meet NATO spending targets.

The move highlights gaps in Canada’s Arctic readiness, with the RCAF’s planned MQ-9B SkyGuardian fleet still delayed until later in the decade. Officials say the Coast Guard will not be militarized and the UAV’s mission will focus on maritime awareness, environmental monitoring and hazard detection, though upgraded secure communications point to closer integration with national security agencies. Conservative lawmakers have questioned whether crews will have adequate protection if drawn into security tasks.