Strategy documents often talk about partnership between government, industry, and the military. Recently, Area X.O Killaloe had the opportunity to showcase what this can actually look like in real time.
On August 11 and 12, the Department of Defence (DND) – Canadian Joint Force Command (CJFC) held the RED COBALT Uncrewed Systems (UxS) Accelerator at Area X.O Killaloe, Invest Ottawa’s newly fit-up research and development facility two hours north of Ottawa. The two-day live demonstration event showcased UxS technologies and included a VIP demonstration day on the 12th. The event marked the first public introduction of the Killaloe facility.
Roughly 200 defence personnel connected directly with over 20 companies, the majority of which were Canadian, developing drone, counter-drone, and uncrewed ground vehicle technology.
The day opened with a morning speaking program featuring the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence; General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff; Lieutenant General Darcy Molstad, commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command; and Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa and Area X.O, with Lieutenant Colonel Jayme Leclerc serving as master of ceremonies.
Together, they spoke of what to expect in the day ahead, both in the demonstrations on display at Area X.O Killaloe, and in the growing challenges and threats to our safety that need to be addressed through quick and deliberate innovation.
The kind of infrastructure a strategy needs
Killaloe’s location isn’t incidental — it’s a genuine competitive advantage for innovators working here and across the sector. Situated in the Ottawa Valley within reach of the region’s defence and R&D ecosystem, the site combines three conditions rarely found together: unrestricted Class G airspace, low surrounding population density, and a 6,600-foot runway built during the Cold War. Together, these allow uncrewed systems to be flown and tested at altitudes, ranges, and payload weights that simply can’t be accommodated inside city limits or at more constrained facilities.
That envelope, the ability to push beyond what urban and controlled-airspace environments permit, is exactly the kind of sovereign test-and-validation capability called for in Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, giving domestic developers a place to mature their technology at home rather than seeking it abroad.
That is why Invest Ottawa operates the site as an extension of Area X.O, an all-weather research and development complex and NATO DIANA test centre. It’s one thing to write about building domestic capability into a strategy document. It’s another to have a domestic facility where that capability makes building and testing both a priority and a possibility.
Partnership, not just procurement
For two days, uniforms and industry badges moved through the same booths and demo zones, a visible version of the partnership the strategy is meant to build. Chief of the Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan brought attention to that shift directly in her morning remarks – describing divergence from a strictly supplier-based relationship and moving towards a truly collaborative one.
“I’ve had the opportunity to engage with many industry groups, and what I’ve been asking everyone is to change our relationship with industry from a strictly supplier relationship to a partnership relationship again,” Carignan said. “This is a huge change in our culture, in the way we’ve been doing business. It means moving at the pace of relevance, so that when we put a capability into the hands of our sailors, soldiers, aviators, and special forces operators, it is already proven against real operational demands.”
In his own remarks, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, made a similar point: “Innovation is no longer simply about developing new technology,” he said.
“Innovation is the new operational necessity.”
Strategy in motion
Across live demonstration zones and booths, CAF operators worked directly alongside innovators to put technology to work on real operational challenges. That’s the kind of collaboration the D.I Hub strategy is moving to address: users, developers, and manufacturers working together from the outset, with tangible progress on the ground rather than strategy discussed in the abstract.
“This work directly supports Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, and our shared vision for Canada’s Capital Region as a global defence innovation hub,” said Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa and Area X.O.
Two days at a former Cold War airstrip turned out to be a pretty clear picture of where the strategy is headed next.
As Lieutenant General Darcy Molstad, commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command, put it: “By strengthening collaboration between government, industry, and operators, we are building the foundation for a faster capability development cycle, and a more agile, resilient, industrial base that can respond when it is needed most. Canadian industry has immense potential to deliver world-leading capabilities in autonomous systems.”
“Remember,” he added. “This is the beginning. We’re building a foundation. If you build it, they will come.”
- Canada’s largest next-gen live demonstration event, GCXpo, is just around the corner on September 29 at Area X.O Greenbelt. Learn more about how to demonstrate, sponsor or attend here.
- Learn more about Ottawa-Gatineau’s Global Defence Innovation Hub Strategy and the work bringing it to life.
About the author
Shawn Sparling is Vice President, Area X.O, the R&D complex established and operated by Invest Ottawa that accelerates the testing and commercialization of next-generation smart mobility, autonomy and connectivity technologies. A strategic technology executive and multi-sector board director, Shawn brings more than 30 years of global leadership experience across North America and Asia, having led full P&L businesses, global portfolios and regional operations in highly regulated, mission-critical environments, with a focus on governance, innovation and the responsible commercialization of advanced technologies.
