The Strategic Value of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian & MQ-28 Ghost Bat for Canada’s Comprehensive Defense

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• Primary Role: Dominates in maritime ISR, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and land border surveillance.
• Key Features: Anti-Submarine Warfare: Detects and neutralizes submarines with sonobuoys, MAD, and lightweight torpedoes, ensuring Arctic and coastal security.
• Long-Endurance ISR: Operates for 40+ hours, providing persistent surveillance over the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, and U.S. borders.
• Strike Capability: Deploys precision-guided munitions and anti-ship missiles to engage: Destroyers, frigates, and other surface ships. Coastal targets, including radar installations, command centers, and artillery batteries.
• Land Border Surveillance and Engagement: Ideal for monitoring activities along land borders and engaging tanks, personnel, and light armoured vehicles with precision strikes.

• Primary Role: A loyal wingman for manned aircraft like the CF-18 and F-35, focusing on airborne threats, ground strikes, and electronic warfare (EW) in contested environments.
• Key Features: Airborne Threat Engagement: Neutralizes enemy fighters, bombers, UAVs, and other aircraft with air-to-air missiles, ensuring airspace dominance along borders.
• Stealth and Autonomy: Operates effectively in contested regions with low-observability and AI-driven decision-making.
• Electronic Warfare: Jams enemy radar and communications, providing support for maritime, Arctic, and land border defense.
• Strike Capabilities: Engages: Ground-based command centers, artillery, and missile sites. Personnel, armoured vehicles, and tanks in support of land operations.
• Modular Payloads: Swappable mission packages enable rapid adaptation for combat, ISR, or EW roles.

1. Arctic Border: MQ-9B: Monitors Arctic waters for submarine activity, surface threats such as destroyers or ice-capable vessels, and ISR data to defend northern sovereignty. MQ-28: Protects ISR assets and deters air incursions, engaging enemy aircraft and jamming Arctic radar systems.
2. Pacific and Atlantic Coasts: MQ-9B: Tracks naval vessels, monitors shipping lanes, and provides ASW capabilities to neutralize frigates, destroyers, or submarines. MQ-28: Enhances maritime defense by suppressing airborne threats and engaging hostile ships and coastal defenses in contested zones.
3. Land Border with the U.S.: MQ-9B: Performs ISR missions to monitor unauthorized activity and, if necessary, engages personnel, vehicles, or artillery systems along the border. MQ-28: Provides rapid response to airborne or ground-based threats, complementing ground-based border security measures with EW and strike capabilities.
4. Contested Airspace and NATO Missions: MQ-28: Leads in contested environments, engaging enemy aircraft, suppressing radar, and neutralizing command and control systems. MQ-9B: Supports NATO operations with ISR and precision strikes from a standoff range, engaging surface ships, ground targets, and artillery batteries.

1. Infrastructure Needs: Expanded facilities are required in strategic regions: Arctic (Resolute Bay, Inuvik): Ensures persistent surveillance and ASW capabilities. Pacific and Atlantic Coasts (Duncan, Nanaimo, Sydney): Enhances maritime and coastal defense. Southern Border (Cold Lake, Bagotville): Monitors land borders with advanced UAV deployments.
2. Role Specialization: The MQ-9B’s strength lies in ISR and ASW but requires protection in contested environments. The Ghost Bat lacks ASW capabilities, limiting its maritime role but excelling in airborne and EW missions.
3. Cost and Logistics: The MQ-9B costs ~$20–30 million per unit; the Ghost Bat costs ~$10–15 million. Both require investments in training, infrastructure, and maintenance.

• The MQ-9B is a sound choice for land border, maritime and Arctic defense, and its integration is already underway.
• By advocating for a platform like the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, we’re addressing weaknesses in contested environments and providing a complementary capability that aligns with Canada’s needs.