Full Breakdown
Canada-Ukraine Drone Deal Signed at CANSEC
5/26/2026, 9:01:02 PM
Joint Venture Overview
A DMAC-Airlogix agreement will be signed at CANSEC in Ottawa, creating a joint venture with Hamilton-based Sentinel R&D Inc. to produce the ReKam 3.2 UAV for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It follows President Volodymyr Zelensky’s June 2025 “Build with Ukraine” programme, moving production out of frontline zones. The arrangement includes an IP licence and export-control compliance; production volume and financial terms are undisclosed.
Principal Organizations
The venture pairs Sentinel R&D Inc., a Canadian drone maker with proprietary composite expertise, with Airlogix, a Ukrainian firm with combat-proven airframe experience. DMAC coordinates the project under an August 2025 letter of intent, and the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) will purchase the drones from Sentinel and donate them to Ukraine.
UAV Capabilities
The ReKam 3.2 is a payload-agnostic fixed-wing UAV for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare and counter-drone tasks. It launches from trucks, flies about 500 km, and exceeds 180 km/h. Sentinel provides the composite airframe; Airlogix adds field-tested refinements.
Funding & Procurement
Canada has pledged C$6.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine through 2029. The venture will be funded via the DMAC-CCC channel, which bypasses standard competitive procurement. Ukrainian export licences will ensure drones are delivered solely to Ukrainian forces, under Canadian export-control oversight. If successful, the model may become a precedent for future government-to-government defence collaborations.
Official Statements & Responses
Sentinel CEO Kath Intson said the partnership lets Canada pair its advanced production with Ukraine’s combat-proven capabilities. Airlogix chief commercial officer Dmytro Piatrin noted that Canadian manufacturing reduces the risk of Russian strikes and enables two-way technology transfer.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As a company, it’s the way to mitigate risk of being destroyed by a Russian rocket anytime,” — Dmytro Piatrin, Chief Commercial Officer, Airlogix
- “We’re really excited to be working together with a combat-proven company and being able to marry those capabilities,” — Kath Intson, CEO, Sentinel R&D Inc.
- “In Ukraine, it’s not so logical to invest future money in advanced technologies, because in any day, it can be destroyed. But in Canada, they have this advanced approach to production, so it’s where we can learn from our partners,” — Dmytro Piatrin
- “But whenever the full-scale invasion has ended, or the demand for such systems is not in such big numbers, all the spare capacities will be used to supply the Canadian Armed Forces.” — Dmytro Piatrin
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The sources do not specify the number of drones to be produced, the total value of the venture, or whether the new plant will be sited in Ontario or Alberta.
What’s Next
The agreement will be signed later this week at CANSEC. Sentinel and Airlogix will choose the plant’s province—Ontario or Alberta—potentially relocating to Alberta. If successful, the model could guide future government-to-government defence collaborations and later supply the Canadian Armed Forces.
