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With a coastline spanning over 243,000 km and a border shared with the United States spanning nearly 9,000 km, Canada is obligated to develop its own military-grade autonomous maritime systems. The moment has arrived to transition from academic research to tactical deployment.
Canada boasts the world’s longest coastline, extending over 243,000 kilometers, and shares nearly 8,900 kilometers of land and maritime border with the United States. These are not merely geographical facts; they denote an enormous strategic expanse that necessitates perpetual vigilance, security, and sovereignty. However, Canada is currently in a state of catching up as global powers such as the United States, China, and Israel swiftly expand their operational use of autonomous maritime systems. As a result, Canada is relying on foreign companies, particularly those from the United Kingdom, to supply military-grade unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
This dependence establishes a vulnerability. It is imperative that Canada construct its own line of autonomous vessels of military grade, which are intended for tactical deployment rather than mere research or data collection. The opportunity is not merely strategic; it is also industrial, economic, and scientific.
Other nations have already demonstrated what is feasible. For instance, the United States Navy has effectively incorporated unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) into its active fleets to facilitate missions such as intelligence gathering, force projection, and mine detection. Armed maritime drones that operate in conjunction with Israel’s coastal defense networks have been deployed. China is conducting tests in Asia to enhance its presence in contested waters by utilizing AI-enabled naval craft and swarming capabilities. These nations recognized at an early stage that the future of maritime power would be influenced by autonomy, not only through innovation but also through the ownership of the platform itself.
In contrast, Canada boasts an exceptional ecosystem of expertise in autonomous systems, marine engineering, and AI; however, the majority of this expertise is still in the academic and research fields. For years, universities such as Dalhousie (with its Ocean Tracking Network), Memorial’s Marine Institute, and BCIT have been at the forefront of ocean-focused innovation. The National Research Council of Canada has investigated reinforcement learning for Arctic fleet autonomy, while the Ocean Frontier Institute has overseen federally funded research totaling more than CAD 93 million.. However, despite their remarkable nature, these endeavors frequently fail to transition from prototype to deployment. We construct the brains, but we frequently outsource the bodies.
That must be altered.
A USV that is Canadian-branded, designed, manufactured, and tested in Canada, would guarantee that our national defense is not contingent upon foreign intellectual property. It would enable mission-specific customization for low-signal environments, polar navigation, and Arctic endurance, which are distinctive to our geography. It would generate employment opportunities, improve Canada’s defense capabilities, and provide the country with a product that it could potentially export.
Strengthening Canada’s autonomous border control tech can show the U.S. we’re serious about stopping trafficking and smuggling, while reinforcing trade and security partnerships.
Demand is increasing, and there is no doubt about it. Many coastal nations are currently in pursuit of autonomous systems that can patrol, monitor, or respond to emergencies without posing a threat to human life or necessitating costly personnel. Canada has the potential to dominate this export segment if it can develop a competitive product, particularly one that is engineered for frigid, remote, or rugged environments.
This is where the ingredients are located. The research community is very active. The technical talent pipeline from colleges and universities is robust. Real-world marine simulations are utilized to educate pupils at institutions such as BCIT and the Marine Institute. The global research rankings are dominated by AI laboratories in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. What is lacking is a coordinated effort to transition from the laboratory to the launch site—an industrial strategy that transitions prototypes from the proving ground to operational service.
This is not merely a call for innovation; it is a demand for sovereignty. Canada is unable to afford to consider autonomy as a type of research curiosity. It must be a national priority. If we fail to construct it, someone else will. And we will be back where we began, purchasing critical defense infrastructure from companies located abroad, while being constrained by licensing, export restrictions, and timelines that do not align with our strategic objectives.
Canada requires a persistent, autonomous, and intelligent maritime presence, as it has a coastline that is longer than that of any other nation and one of the world’s largest economic exclusion zones. AI-assisted navigation is implemented in patrol vessels. Drones that can operate for weeks at sea without refueling. Multi-mission platforms that can transition from ambient surveillance to defense operations in a matter of minutes.
This is not science fiction. It is currently underway in Haifa, California, and Guangdong. The sole inquiry is: Will we construct it in this location?
By doing so, we not only safeguard our own waters but also foster a new industry. One that is grounded in Canadian engineering, constructed to meet the needs of Canada, and prepared for the global stage.
Author: Babak Khodaprast
