Ottawa Launches Long Awaited Competition for Armed Military Drones

Ottawa Launches Long Awaited Competition for Armed Military Drones
A Heron pilotless spy drone, operated by the Canadian military, sits in a hangar at Kandahar Airfield on July 5, 2010. The Canadian Press/Bill Graveland
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OTTAWA—The federal government has officially launched a competition for the purchase of armed drones after nearly two decades of delays and discussion around whether Canada should buy the controversial weapons.

A formal request for proposals was released Friday to the two companies shortlisted to bid on the $5-billion contract, which could see the Canadian Armed Forces launch a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles in the next few years.