After several years of delay, Canada’s Canadian Coast Guard will conduct routine test flights over the Arctic this summer with the Israeli-made Hermes 900 Starliner UAV manufactured by Elbit Systems.
Department of Defense Spokesperson Craig Maccartney was quoted by Canada’s CBC News as saying that the Elbit Starliner drone would conduct the Arctic flights “as part of the final testing before the drone can be accepted into our fleet.”
According to the CBC report, the Starliner was delivered to Transport Canada in September. The platform will replace the De Havilland Canada DHC-7, also known as the Dash 7, which has been conducting patrols for the past 20 years.
With tensions high with Russia, the Starliner was purchased in 2020 by Transport Canada for Arctic surveillance.
The deal included communication links, ground control stations, sensor packages, training and the optional purchase of spare parts.
The Hermes Starliner has a wingspan of 17 meters, weighs 1.6 tons and can carry an additional 450 kilograms of electro-optical, thermal, radar, and other payloads. It is capable of up to 36 hours of continuous flight at an altitude of up to 7,620 meters.
There are a host of civil aviation technological capabilities on the Hermes Starliner unmanned aerial system, including a terrain avoidance warning system, automatic take-off and landing in harsh visibility, redundant avionics, sensors and satellite data links, and adverse weather capabilities, such as icy conditions and direct lightning strike sustainment.
It also has automatic air traffic sensing and avoiding systems and avoiding auto-maneuvers, as well as four life rafts that can hold eight people during Search and Rescue (SAR) missions.
Additionally, the platform is equipped with Elbit's Spectro multi-spectral electro-optical payload that provides continuous target scanning capabilities and the SkEye Wide Area Persistent Surveillance System capable of continuously monitoring vast areas, intercepting events, and maintaining multiple regions of interest (ROI) under constant surveillance with high spatial resolution.
Switzerland
Along with Canada, Switzerland has also faced several delays with its Starliner program. The six platforms purchased from Elbit were supposed to be operational by 2019 but have faced years of delays.
In July, it was reported that Swiss authorities had been considering cancelling the $246 million deal for the platforms because of the delays and technical problems that had left the Starliners unable to meet demand. There had also been numerous issues with the platforms, such as not being able to land autonomously without GPS and being unable to avoid obstacles or handle extreme icing conditions in the Alps.
A report by the local NZZ newspaper said that "the technical difficulties were grave. The drones would require choppers or other aircraft to fly with them to prevent air collisions.”
Nevertheless, a new report by Zuger Zeitung quoted Swiss Air Force Chief Major General Christian Oppliger as saying that they are currently undergoing operational testing before being declared operational by the end of the year.
"We will use them at the G7 summit in Evian to gain experience under real-world conditions,” he said.
Cold shoulder
There was also significant protest in Canada against the $36m. deal with Elbit Systems, especially following Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023, attack.
Under former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ottawa quietly adjusted its approach to Israel following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War.
According to a Leger poll released last week, only 22 percent of Canadians have a favorable impression of Israel, down from 33% in 2023. Unfavorable views were found to have risen sharply to 61%.
While Canada approved $21m. in military exports to Israel early in the war, no new licenses have been granted since January 2024, leading some Israeli defense companies to have packed up. This silent freeze, though not officially acknowledged, suggests a growing discomfort within Canadian political circles as public scrutiny continues to increase.
Similar to the stances of France and the UK, Prime Minister Mark Carney also announced last year that Ottawa would recognize a Palestinian state.
Last week, as part of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Canada was among the countries who nominated Iran to the UN Committee for Program and Coordination that shapes policies on women’s rights, human rights, disarmament and terrorism prevention.