Ministry of National Defence Parliamentary Secretary Marie-France Lalonde was at 19 Wing Comox on Tuesday, Dec. 19, to announce the acquisition of new military aircraft.

The Royal Canadian Air Force will be acquiring a fleet of 11 new Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems 鈥� RPAS 鈥� worth nearly $2.5 billion, which includes the fleet, specialized equipment, initial weapons, in-service support, training and courses, said Lalonde.

The new RPAS will be about the size of a fighter jet (with a wingspan approximately the size of a hockey rink) and will be operated by pilots remotely in Ottawa certified to the same standard as a piloted fighter.

The aircraft can be airborne for upwards of 40 hours.

鈥淥nce fully operational, the RPAS will deliver considerably enhanced intelligence gathering, surveillance and recognizance capabilities as well as providing an air-to-ground strike capability,鈥� Lalonde added. 鈥淭he aircraft also gives the RCAF the ability to carry out missions over much longer distance than before, using a variety of sensors to detect, recognize, track and engage targets in complex situations.鈥�

Missions could include monitoring hot spots during forest fire season, surveillance of maritime approaches and protecting Canadian and allied troops in deployed locations.

Lalonde, alongside 19 Wing Comox Col. J.P. Gagnon, noted they expect the first RPAS to arrive in 2028, with the full fleet to be online in 2033. The RPAS fleet will be split between 19 Wing Comox and 14 Wing Greenwood, NS.

A new ground control centre will also be built in Ottawa.

Lalonde said the project will support nearly 700 jobs between the two locations for trades, construction and training, along with the addition of 25 personnel that will be permanently added to 19 Wing.

RPAS will also help Canada fulfill its NORAD and NATO missions while increasing interoperability with US and NATO forces, added Lalonde.