This Week in Defence (08/03/26): New Deep Strike Project, More UAS, CCG Audits, Japan Meetings, CCG Officially Leases New Polar Icebreaker, Army Rumors, SPEED

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Happy Monday Everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend. I think it's now safe to say that we've hit the dry season, where news slows and people take some meeded relaxation. It's a short news week, dominated primarily by drones, drones and more drones. A whole lot of them.

We do have some gems hidden here, new polar icebreaker charters, some pretty saucy rumors, but overall I think we've hit the very much needed quiet period of thr summer.

Anywho, I won't bother anymore. Let's jump into it.

Remember that you can always submit your media and press releases to us at media@truenorthstrategicreview.ca!

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• Read up on the latest edition of CanadaxEurope!

• Also CanadaxIndo-Pacific, which is a thing! How cool is that!

• The latest edition of Steffan Watkins RCN Media and Public Awareness Update is up!

• Let’s Talk with Noah (08/01/26): DAME Mortars, DCC, Is The River-Class A Destroyer?, Grizzly, Helmets, P8, Future JSS

• Canada Launches The Canadian Deep Precision Strike Capability Program

• ADM(RS) Releases Audit on CCG Veseel Life Extension Program

• New RFP Released For Light Forces General Purpose Uncrewed Aircraft Systems

• Invest Nova Scotia and Lockheed Martin Canada Drive Continued Growth in Nova Scotia’s Defence Sector

• Saab appoints President of Saab Canada

• GIT Coatings to expand production with federal investment in Canada’s defence sector

• AtkinsRéalis welcomes four new ambassador organizations to Canadians for CANDU

• HFI PYROTECHNICS INC. Announces $120 million growth and expansion at Edwardsburgh Cardinal facility.

• NordSpace Ventures Invests in North Vector Dynamics to Advance Sovereign Canadian Defence Propulsion and Hypersonics

• Canadian Armed Forces strengthen Arctic mobility and operational support during Operation NANOOK-QIMAAVIVUT

• GH Power and TKMS Continue to Explore Clean Energy Collaboration in Support of Canada’s Future Patrol Submarine Project

• Government of Canada invests $2.7 million to strengthen Northeastern Ontario’s defence sector

• HIMARS Deploys to Arctic under Operation TUNDRA MERLIN

• The 14th Japan-Canada Political-Military (PM) Dialogue

• Japan-Canada Military to Military (MM) Dialogue

• Minister McGuinty brings together industry and investment leaders to accelerate Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy

• Canada turns to Europe for its security

• How Canada can gear up for the Arctic ‘Great Game’

• Lurkers in the deep: How Canada’s new submarines will be used in peace and potential war

• Defence industry boom can be a dividend for Canada-Japan ties

• Ottawa partnership aims to grow Canadian supply chain: London defence firm

• Stealth fighter program a potential opportunity for Bombardier as defence business grows, CEO says

• HMCS Margaret Brooke welcomes new CO as ship heads for refit

• RCN Video Celebrates Over 100 Years of Naval Reserve History

• CJOC Command Team meets with divers at RIMPAC 2026

• Soldiers take flight with inaugural first-person view drone course

• Sacred shifts: The evolution of Canada’s Chaplain Service

• From Remembrance to the road: CAF contingent completes 2026 Nijmegen Marches

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This Week in Defences Project and Lobbying Updates are supported by Dominion Dynamics Aurion platform. Aurion is an open data platform designed to increase transparency across Canada's defence procurement ecosystem.

• We now have an RFP for the Fall 2026 dry docking of CCGS Sir William Alexander!

• Another RFP has dropped for the Uncrewed Aircraft System - Light!

• CCGS Des Groseilliers gets her turn as well, with a new RFP out for her Autumn 2026 refit

• A brand new RFI has been released for the Space Command and Control project as well! I should write on this too.

• The RFP for the dry docking refit of CCGS Jean Goodwill has been updated with new documentation

• The RFP for the Space-Based Optical Capability of Surveillance of Space II has been updated with new Q&A

• The RFP for Long Term Solutions for the National Combat Rations Program has been updated with new documentation

• The RFI for the Command and Control (C2) Tools of the Land Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Modernization (LISRM) project has been updated with new documentation

• The RFI for the new MARLANT Fuel Barge has been updated with new documentation

• The RFI for the Dive Tender Replacement Project has been updated with new Q&A

• The RFSA for the Defence Drone Initiative (DDI) Marketplace has been updated with new Q&A (you can read about it here)

• The RFSO for the Ski Mobility System has been updated with new documentation

• ADOR Tech has been awarded a new $1,817,755.71 contract to provide 37 Light Multipurpose Utility Vehicles with Heating and Air Conditioning to the CAF, with an option for 15 more

• We're getting a friend this Icebreaking Season! We have an official award released the other day, at a value of $24,999,999, to Qikiqtaaluk Horizon Arctic Services Limited Partnership for the lease of a Polar Class 3 Icebreaker.

  This will be either the Fennica and Nordica, the Finnish Sisters operated by Arctia. Both of which were previously identified as the only commercially available options to fill the requirements. As you can imagine, there aint many PC 3 Icebreakers sitting around.

  This is one of several active charters out of the CCG, whom is increasingly looking to leased amd interim solutions to plug gaps in both her Recapitalization and Life Extension initatives. We actually wrote on it last week!

• General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada has received a new amendment to their contract for CP140 training simulators

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• Boeing has filed a new record with Summa Strategies Canada looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including Industrial and Technological Benefits commitments under the Canada Multi-Mission Aircraft project and contract opportunities under the next Tactical Aviation Capability Set (nTACS)

• NorthStar Earth & Space has filed a new record with Capstone Defence looking to engage the Federal Government on the companies capabilities and offerings and contract opportunities in satellite information services for Space Domain Awareness

• Arcfield Canada Corporation has filed a new record with TACTIX Government Relations & Public Affairs looking to engage the Federal Government on contract opportunities for integrated supply chain and logistics programs for land, sea and air fleets, including the next generation fighter

• Heli-One Canada has filed a new record with TACTIX Government Relations & Public Affairs looking to engage the Federal Government on contract opportunities in the defence aerospace sector with a focus on rotor wing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)

• GHGSat has filed a new record with Crestview Strategy looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including the companies capabilities and offerings in satellite services, contract opportunities, and funding opportunities

• Honeywell International has filed a new record with Earnscliffe Strategies looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including export permits under Canada’s Export Control Regime and the Controlled Goods Program, the review of CUSMA, federal procurement policies, and tax policy

• Canada Rocket Company has filed a new record with Sandstone Group looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including funding opportunities, launch licences and export controls, talent retention and job creation, and the positioning of Canadian technology for dual-use applications

• North Vector Dynamics has filed a new record with CFN Consultants looking to engage the Federal Government on contract opportunities in precision interception, autonomy, and advanced propulsion

• D-TA System has filed a new record with Earnscliffe Strategy Group looking to engage the Federal Government on funding and contract opportunities for its electronic warfare and radar products

• Seaspan Shipyards has filed a new record with Bluesky Strategy Group looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including contract opportunities under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), and biometrics collection policy

• Marshall Land Systems has filed a new communication detailing a meeting with Radey Barrack, Director of Policy at National Defence

• Draganfly has filed a new communication detailing a meeting with Christiane Fox, Deputy Minister of National Defence

• Volatus Aerospace has filed a new communication detailing a meeting with David McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, Darcy Molstad, Commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command, Conor Lewis, Policy Advisor in the Minister’s Office, and Ezechiel Nana, Regional Advisor – Quebec to the Minister of National Defence

• Vancouver Shipyards has filed a new communication detailing a meeting with Christiane Fox, Deputy Minister of National Defence, Rob Grey, Director General of Major Projects Delivery – Sea, Marc Mes, Deputy Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, and Dan Charlebois, Commander Royal Canadian Navy

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• There are some expectations that several major army projects could be revised or reqorked in the fall ahead of the Army Warfighting Concept being released. Early info points to the doctrine reportedly call for cheap, more attritable systems over scarce,100% solutions.

Part of this will include a proper proposal for a National Mobilization Plan (which the Augment Reserve falls), a Continental-First strategy, and a renewed focus on preparing for long-term, sustained conflict.

Details are extremely scarce, and I offer that this is a tiny reflection of things, and very vague. So keep things noted.

• New LUV concepts seem to be popping up a lot lately, from containerized platforms and Rocket LUV to a proper GBAD system and even strapping NSM to it ala Strikemaster. This isn't official stuff, just folks, but I do highlight it because I find it fun. The moment people get their hands on these things, we're gonna see concepts from hell.

• There are rumors of the Space-based Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (SPEED) project being heavily discussed as of late. SPEED aims to integrate and leverage all Space-based Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance (SB-ISR) data available under a singal framework. It is the data backbone of Canada's future space ecosystem, and often cited as one of the most importsnt projects on the docket right now. It's also going way to slow for most.

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