Canadian company 49North has signed a cooperation agreement with Ukrainian counter-drone technology manufacturer UNWAVE on joint production and maintenance of systems designed to counter unmanned aerial systems. This is stated in a 49North press release.
The cooperation is intended to help meet Ukraine’s defence needs and strengthen industrial ties between Ukraine and Canada. The company noted that the partnership aligns with a joint declaration to enhance defence cooperation and security collaboration between the two countries, signed on 10 September 2026.
49North will provide engineering support and help deliver complex defence programmes, while UNWAVE will contribute its experience in developing counter-drone technologies.
The cooperation covers not only joint production but also in-service support for counter-drone systems. At the same time, the company’s statement does not specify the timeline for launching production, the scale of future deliveries, or the specific system models the partners may develop or manufacture.
“By leveraging UNWAVE’s expertise in counter-drone capabilities and 49North’s defence strengths, we see an opportunity to develop joint production and support systems that will meet Ukraine’s evolving needs. This partnership builds on our experience of supporting Ukraine with Canadian technologies and paves the way to deepen our contribution,” said 49North President Joe Armstrong.
49North draws on more than 50 years of defence project experience from its parent company, MDA Space. The company also has nearly 20 years’ experience supplying military drones, including Heron systems for Canadian operations in Afghanistan, as well as providing drone services for reconnaissance operations in Ukraine.
As a reminder, in September a Ukrainian delegation visited Canada. One outcome of the visit was the signing of a Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation. According to Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Hvozdiar, the document is the first step towards implementing the Drone Deal on the American continent. She confirmed that 30% of drones produced under the Ukrainian-Canadian programme will be transferred to Ukraine’s Defence Forces.
Earlier, following a meeting, Canada’s Prime Minister announced the creation of a Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace in the country — a digital marketplace to accelerate the procurement and deployment of unmanned systems and the means to counter them. In his view, the Canadian Armed Forces will need millions of drones in the coming years, compared with the 2,000 they have today. The plan is therefore to increase production tenfold. Canada intends to direct a third of these to support Ukraine’s defence.