October 15, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Coast Guard
Two Canadian Coast Guard ships (CCGS) recently completed their first maritime security patrols in Canada’s Northern waters in support of the Canadian Coast Guard’s expanded maritime surveillance role.
The CCGS Des Groseilliers and the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent completed patrols in Arctic waters south of Victoria Island, around Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. The CCGS Des Groseilliers also participated in the Coast Guard-led Exercise ARCTIC GHOST, working with Northern partners in a series of presence and surveillance activities in Arctic waters. These important milestones highlight the implementation of the organization’s enhanced mandate under the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration Systems and Borders Act. The new security activities help bolster and protect Canada’s sovereignty.
As part of the enhanced mandate to conduct security patrols, new surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities have been introduced into the Canadian Coast Guard fleet. Two helicopters are now equipped with MX-10 Electro-Optical Infra-red (EO-IR) camera systems. Additionally, MX-15 EO-IR systems have also been installed on the Dash-8 aircraft, which were used during the security patrols and in Exercise ARCTIC GHOST. A larger CMX-15 system has also been installed aboard the CCGS Louis S. St Laurent. A further eight Arctic-capable Canadian Coast Guard vessels will be equipped with systems in the near term. These camera systems will provide increased capacity for security patrols, ice reconnaissance, fisheries surveillance, pollution detection and reporting, fire control, and search and rescue. Together, these enhanced capabilities will help integrate information collected from vessels, aircraft, and shore-based systems to support maritime security operations.
During these patrols using the new equipment, the Canadian Coast Guard collected valuable information that will strengthen maritime domain awareness and broaden our understanding of activities in Canada’s Arctic waters. The Canadian Coast Guard shared the information with Canada’s Marine Security Operations Centres for distribution with security and enforcement partners, facilitating all agencies to efficiently work together to protect Canadians.
Quotes
“With the potential of security threats at our doorstep, maritime domain awareness is a vital aspect in asserting our sovereignty. While Canada’s maritime security is a shared responsibility, the Canadian Coast Guard is in a unique position as a key federal presence in Canadian waters. Having two Canadian Coast Guard ships complete their inaugural maritime security patrols allows for better alignment between Canada and our international security partners.”
The Honourable David McGuinty, Minister of Defence
“The completion of initial maritime security patrols signals the start of a new chapter for the Canadian Coast Guard, as we further support Canadian sovereignty across our coastal borders. With our enhanced security mandate, we are building on our strong presence and capabilities, while still delivering our core services, such as search and rescue, icebreaking, and environmental response.”
Kevin Brosseau, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard
Quick facts
The new Strengthening Canada’s Immigration Systems and Borders Act received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026, and gives the Canadian Coast Guard additional security responsibilities to collect and share intelligence related to Canada’s waters.
New security-related activities will continue to be integrated into the core functions of the Canadian Coast Guard: search and rescue, icebreaking, environmental response and protection, supporting ocean science, and maintaining safe and navigable waterways.
To further bolster and maintain seamless service delivery, the Government of Canada recently awarded Qikiqtaaluk Horizon Arctic Services Limited Partnership (QHAS) a charter contract for a fully crewed Polar Class 3 icebreaker for the 2026 Arctic operating season (ending November 30, 2026).
Earlier this summer, a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter equipped with a new MX-10 camera system was deployed on the His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Robert Hampton Gray in the Northwest Passage, strengthening and supporting more timely and informed decision making with security partners.
On April 1, 2026, the Government of Canada’s civilian aircraft services and assets were transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard, giving the agency operational control of the civilian aerial fleet, meaning greater capacity to support its growing role in maritime security.
The new equipment is part of the $816 million investment announced earlier this year by the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence. These investments aim to expand the CCG’s monitoring role with real‑time situational awareness and protect the sovereignty of Canada’s waters
Noah Note: The first confirmed modifications made to existing vessels from what was announced earlier. Future Icebreakers will also come with a Therma radar suite, more specifically the SCANTER 4603 and SCANTER 6002 series radars for the MPI and Polars. Both are extremely capable radars to include on the future fleet.
Obviously, 6002 is already on the AOPS. It is an X-band surveillance radar that detects and tracks small surface targets from the ship's side out to the radar horizon in all weather. It is also IMO-certified for navigation, monitors the low airspace around the ship, can track aircraft and hovering helicopters past 15 nmi, and can control a helicopter during short-range operations and landings.
Terma has since added a 350W GaN amplifier and AI classification that lets it detect, track and classify small drones, with performance charted for drones from 1 kg up.
The 4603 is a step up. It is a fully coherent pulse-compression radar built for automatic volume surveillance and early detection of multiple air and surface targets at once, out to a horizontal range of 96 nm, with track-while-scan combat profiles and provision for IFF integration.
For now focus is on making sure existing platforms have the equipment needed to provide at least a basic form of ISR capability and the capacity to feed informstion into the Maritime Operating Picture as we await delivery of our future fleet.
Good news. The new kit not only adds an ISR capability, but provides the CCG ships with added capability to enhance safety of operations in the Arctic.