Coast Guard eyes drones as $2.4B budget counts toward NATO defence spending

Canada’s civilian Coast Guard is considering putting drones aboard its vessels even as its ships remain unarmed and its $2.4 billion annual budget is counted toward Canada’s NATO defence spending, MPs were told.Cabinet transferred responsibility for the Canadian Coast Guard from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to the Department of National Defence in 2025, allowing its spending to count toward Canada’s NATO defence commitments.“We contribute to the marine domain awareness picture for Canada,” Robert Wight, deputy Coast Guard commissioner, told the Commons government operations committee.“We are in effect the eyes and ears in Canadian waters,” said Wight. “With 126 ships, over 30 helicopters, we contribute to that marine domain awareness.”Blacklock's Reporter says Coast Guard records show its fleet includes 58 lifeboats, 16 training, survey and science vessels and 12 shore patrol boats. None are equipped with weapons or firearms.Conservative MP Robert Bragdon (Tobique-Mactaquac, N.B.) questioned how spending on a civilian agency with no combat role could qualify as defence spending.“The Coast Guard remains a civilian organization with civilian vessels and civilian mandates,” said Bragdon.“If the Coast Guard remains civilian, an unarmed organization, how is its spending being counted toward military defence spending?” he asked.“I will not opine on the accounting rules for NATO,” replied Wight.Bragdon asked whether defence equipment, including weapons, had been installed aboard Coast Guard vessels since the agency was moved under National Defence.“Not weapons, defensive or offensive,” said Wight. “But we have added communications equipment and are looking at such things as drones and other technology.”Bragdon also questioned whether Coast Guard vessels conducting fisheries research are now included in defence spending.“The Coast Guard is still operating fishing science vessels used to count fish?” he asked.“They are under the Department of National Defence,” replied Wight.“That would include the vessels that are counting fish or fish survey ships as defence spending?” asked Bragdon.“It would include all aspects of the Canadian Coast Guard,” said Wight.The change comes as the Coast Guard struggles with an aging fleet..A 2024 Evaluation Of Fleet Procurement And Maintenance warned many vessels were approaching or had already exceeded their intended service lives.“The Canadian Coast Guard fleet is aging as vessels approach and exceed their intended end of service life,” said the report. “Across the fleet 30% of vessels have less than five years left until they reach their end of service life.”Another 27% of vessels had exceeded their intended service lives by as much as 14 years, while 6% had exceeded them by between 17 and 36 years.“As of 2023 the large fleet has reached 82% of its intended service life on average,” said the Evaluation. “The age, condition and obsolescence of Canadian Coast Guard vessels and their electronics and informatics infrastructure represent a key risk to program delivery.”Coast Guard officials previously acknowledged the agency has no combat role despite its transfer to National Defence.Deputy Commissioner Marc Mes told the Commons defence committee last October the Coast Guard would withdraw if confronted with an armed conflict.“We wouldn’t be involved in any sort of act of war,” said Mes. “The Coast Guard’s rule of engagement is, if there were anything, we leave.”

Coast Guard eyes drones as $2.4B budget counts toward NATO defence spending

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