49North Awarded $3.7M Contract from General Atomics to Deliver Coalition Shared Database for Canada's Guardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Program
Press Release + Noah Note
OTTAWA, ON, June 15, 2026 /CNW/ - 49North, a wholly owned subsidiary of MDA Space Ltd. (TSX: MDA) (NYSE: MDA), today announced it has been awarded a $3.7 million CAD contract by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to design, build, integrate, and test a Coalition Shared Database (CSD) for Canada's Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) program. The award is a meaningful step for 49North as it continues to establish itself as a dedicated Canadian defence integrator, delivering sovereign capabilities that strengthen decision advantage in complex and contested environments.
This contract award is an addition to the existing $74.4M RPAS contract and further strengthens 49North's role as a key member of Team SkyGuardian Canada, alongside GA-ASI, CAE, and L3Harris WESCAM, working to deliver 11 CQ-9B Guardian aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) by 2028. The Guardian is based on GA-ASI's MQ-9B, which is on order or operating for a growing list of international defence and security forces.
The CSD is a standardized, secure, and networked system based on NATO STANAG 4559 standards, designed for multinational operations to store, manage, and distribute Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data. The system is designed to enable allied nations to share, search, and access heterogeneous sensor data in near real-time, facilitating a common operating picture while maintaining individual national control over information. The ability to be interoperable and have secure, multi-caveat-controlled real-time information flow with allies is a critical force multiplier for military operations.
Originally planned as a separate capability, the CSD was later integrated into the RPAS program at the request of the RCAF to ensure seamless operational performance. GA-ASI selected 49North to deliver the system based on its deep experience in coalition data-sharing and its ability to integrate complex systems within mission-critical environments.
Building on more than five decades of trusted Canadian defence delivery and prime contractor execution from MDA Space, 49North brings proven operational experience in coalition data-sharing solutions, including development work on the CP-140 program and implementation of Canada's and Australia's CSD interface for the NOCTUA and NANKEEN Heron UAV programs supporting the UN-mandated, NATO-led ISAF mission in Afghanistan.
The CSD award is the latest in a growing portfolio of defence capabilities that 49North is delivering for the CQ-9B Guardian program, which also includes production of Certifiable Ground Control Stations, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Radio software, and Automated Targeting Classification image processing. Across these work packages, 49North is integrating advanced sensing technologies, autonomous systems, and secure digital mission systems--capabilities that reflect the company's broader mandate to deliver multi-domain C4ISR solutions across land, air, maritime, and joint domains for Canadian and allied defence customers.
The CSD system will reside in the main RPAS Ground Control Centre in Ottawa, with design, build, integration, and testing conducted at 49North's facility in Richmond, British Columbia. Delivery to GA-ASI is expected by August 2027.
This award further expands 49North's scope within the RPAS program and reinforces its growing role as a dedicated Canadian defence integrator of advanced C4ISR capabilities--delivering the engineering discipline, operational reliability, and mission assurance that Canada's defence modernization demands.
Quotes
"This award reflects the confidence that GA-ASI and the Royal Canadian Air Force have placed in 49North's C4ISR capabilities and our deep mission experience. 49North delivers sovereign, mission-critical defence capabilities for Canada, and coalition data sharing is exactly the type of high-assurance integration where our team excels. Interoperability with our allies is essential to Canada's defence posture, and the CSD will aim to ensure the RCAF can operate seamlessly in multinational environments."
Joe Armstrong, President, 49North
"We're pleased to continue to build our partnership with 49North in the development and delivery of CQ-9B Guardian for Canada. This contract further strengthens the Team SkyGuardian alliance for Canada."
Dan Fritz, Senior Program Director, General Atomics
About 49North
49North delivers sovereign Canadian defence capabilities with a focus on C4ISR and mission critical systems, strengthening decision advantage in complex and contested environments. Building on more than five decades of trusted Canadian defence delivery and prime contractor execution from MDA Space, 49North brings engineering discipline, operational reliability, and mission assurance to large, mission-critical defence programs. 49North integrates advanced sensing technologies, autonomous systems, secure digital mission systems, defence-qualified electronics, and long-term sustainment and in-service support of complex defence platforms across land, air, maritime, and joint domains. Headquartered in Ottawa, 49North brings trusted defence capability to reinforce Canada's long-term sovereignty and security.
www.49NorthDefence.com
Noah Note: 49North absorbed the defence side of MDAs business. They carry that legacy, and personally I am very happy to see it. I feel the seperation at this stage needed to happen to wnsure that the defence and commercial sides of MDA had the space to grow and develop their capabilities.
I had a chance to sit and talk to the 49North team a lot of CANSEC, and they, along with the whole MDA team, are doing some really awesome stuff in the space that I'm excited to see!