two husky aircraft have been delivered to canada so far: the first in 2023, and the second on feb. 16, 2024.
although currently configured for transport, the aircraft will eventually be converted to become a multi-role tanker transport plane. the husky fleet will handle air-to-air refuelling, passenger transport, aeromedical evacuation and strategic transport.
in total, nine husky aircraft will replace the rcaf’s current polaris fleet of five planes.
ottawa, however, will be the new permanent home to a $65-million military facility to control the rcaf’s recently purchased drone fleet.
the installation to be built at uplands and to be ready by 2028 will be around 6,000 square metres in size. it will be home to almost 200 military personnel whose job will be to operate and control the drones flying from bases in british columbia and nova scotia as well as arctic locations.
the canadian forces and national defence originally claimed to the ottawa citizen that the location in ottawa for the new building was secret for security reasons.
but that information was false. national defence outlined details about the uplands location in publicly available documents online. the department also held public consultations on the uplands location as part of its environmental assessment for the site, government documents show.