Canada is entering an era in which geography is no longer a natural defence, and distance is no longer a buffer. The Arctic is opening, great-power competition is intensifying, and the technologies that define modern security, hypersonic weapons, autonomous aircraft, long-range missiles, and stealth platforms are evolving faster than Canada’s ability to detect them. At the centre of this challenge lies a simple truth: Canada does not possess a fully sovereign, domestic radar-tracking industry capable of providing the country with the surveillance foundation it needs. For a G7 nation with the world’s second-largest landmass and the longest coastline on Earth, this gap is not just a vulnerability,it is a strategic failure decades in the making.
A country that cannot see its airspace, seas, and northern approaches cannot meaningfully defend them. And yet, Canada continues to rely heavily on foreign radar manufacturers, foreign intellectual property, and foreign industrial bases for the most fundamental element of national defence: the ability to detect, track, and understand what is moving across its territory. The United States, Europe, Australia, and even smaller nations like Norway and South Korea have invested for decades in domestic radar ecosystems. Canada, by contrast, has allowed its industrial capacity to atrophy, leaving only pockets of excellence in space-based sensing, RF components, and academic research.
This is why a 15- to 20-year national policy document one that explicitly commits Canada to building sovereign radar and tracking capabilities is no longer optional. It is essential. Without a long-term strategy, Canada will remain dependent on foreign suppliers for the very systems that determine whether a threat is detected in time to respond. And without a domestic industrial base, Canada will continue to miss out on billions in defence procurement, export opportunities, and high-value jobs that could anchor the next generation of Canadian innovation.

A Nation Without Its Own Eyes
Radar is not glamorous. It does not carry the political symbolism of fighter jets or naval ships. It does not dominate headlines or election cycles. But it is the backbone of every modern military and the first layer of every national defence architecture. Radar is what tells a country what is approaching, how fast, from where, and with what intent. It is the sensor that feeds the command-and-control systems that guide aircraft, interceptors, and missile-defence networks. It is the foundation upon which every other capability rests.
Canada’s problem is not that it lacks radar entirely. It is that it lacks sovereign radar,systems designed, built, and controlled by Canadian firms, using Canadian intellectual property, and maintained by Canadian engineers. The country has world-class expertise in space-based radar, particularly through the RADARSAT program, but it does not have a domestic manufacturer capable of producing long-range ground-based radar, over-the-horizon radar, or integrated air-and-missile-defence tracking systems.
Instead, Canada relies on subsidiaries of foreign defence giants Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Thales, Leonardo, and BAE Systems. These companies employ Canadians and contribute to the economy, but they are not Canadian-owned. Their strategic decisions, intellectual property, and export priorities are controlled abroad. When Canada buys radar from these firms, it is buying capability, but not sovereignty.
This dependence is becoming increasingly untenable. The Arctic is warming, opening new sea routes and exposing Canada’s northern flank to geopolitical competition. Russia has invested heavily in Arctic radar and missile systems. China has declared itself a “near-Arctic state” and is expanding its polar presence. Hypersonic weapons, which travel at speeds that compress decision-making windows to seconds, require advanced tracking networks that Canada does not currently possess.
In this environment, relying on foreign radar is not just a procurement choice,it is a strategic risk.

The Case for a 20-Year National Radar Strategy
A serious national strategy must begin with a simple premise: Canada needs to build the industrial, technological, and scientific foundations for sovereign radar capability. This cannot be accomplished in a single budget cycle or through isolated procurement projects. It requires a generational commitment,15 to 20 years of sustained investment, policy alignment, and industrial development.
A long-term strategy would allow Canada to:
- Develop domestic radar technologies that cover everything from short-range tactical systems to long-range Arctic surveillance.
- Build a national industrial base capable of producing, maintaining, and upgrading radar systems without foreign dependency.
- Support Canadian firms in RF engineering, signal processing, AI-driven tracking, and sensor fusion—areas where Canada already has talent but lacks scale.
- Anchor NORAD modernization in Canadian industry rather than outsourcing billions to foreign primes.
- Position Canada as a NATO contributor, not just a buyer, by offering radar and tracking capabilities to alliance missions.
Radar is not a single technology but a family of systems. A national strategy must therefore address the full spectrum of surveillance needs.

Seeing from a Few Kilometres to Hundreds,and Beyond
Canada’s geography demands a layered radar architecture. No single system can cover the country’s vast landmass, Arctic approaches, and maritime zones. A sovereign radar strategy must therefore include:
- Short-range radar for local air defence, drone detection, and base protection.
- Medium-range radar for regional airspace awareness and tactical operations.
- Long-range radar capable of tracking aircraft and missiles hundreds of kilometres away.
- Over-the-horizon radar that can see thousands of kilometres beyond the horizon, providing early warning for Arctic and maritime threats.
- Space-based radar constellations that complement ground systems and provide persistent coverage.
Canada has the scientific talent to build these systems. It has universities conducting cutting-edge research in radar signal processing, AI-enabled tracking, and RF engineering. It has companies that produce radar components, antennas, and electronics. What it lacks is the national coordination, funding, and industrial scale to turn these pockets of excellence into a sovereign capability.
A 20-year strategy would change that.

Funding Canadian Firms: The Missing Link
Canada’s defence procurement system has historically favoured foreign primes because they offer turnkey solutions. But this approach has hollowed out domestic capability. If Canada is serious about sovereignty, it must invest directly in Canadian firms ,both established players and emerging innovators.
This means:
- Long-term R&D funding for radar technologies through NSERC, NRC, and defence innovation programs.
- Industrial policy incentives that encourage Canadian firms to scale and export.
- Procurement reform that prioritizes Canadian content and Canadian intellectual property.
- Partnerships between universities, government labs, and industry to accelerate technology development.
- Support for test ranges, simulation environments, and prototyping facilities that allow Canadian firms to validate their systems.
Countries like Australia, Norway, and South Korea have built world-class radar industries through sustained investment and strategic focus. Canada can do the same,if it chooses to.

Why Surveillance Must Come First
Before Canada can talk about missile defence, interceptors, or advanced air-policing capabilities, it must first build the surveillance layer. Without the ability to detect and track threats, every other capability is compromised.
Surveillance is the foundation of sovereignty. It is the difference between reacting and anticipating, between vulnerability and preparedness. A country that cannot see its airspace cannot defend it. A country that cannot track what moves across its northern frontier cannot claim to control it.
Canada’s first priority must therefore be to build a comprehensive, layered, sovereign radar network that covers:
- The Arctic, where climate change is transforming geopolitics.
- The coasts, where maritime traffic is increasing.
- The airspace, where new threats ,from drones to hypersonics are emerging.
- Critical infrastructure, which requires protection from aerial and cyber-physical threats.
Only once Canada has built this surveillance foundation can it meaningfully expand into missile defence, advanced air-and-missile-tracking networks, and integrated command-and-control systems.

A Moment of Decision
Canada stands at a crossroads. It can continue to rely on foreign radar manufacturers, outsourcing the most fundamental element of national defence. Or it can choose a different path,one that invests in Canadian talent, Canadian firms, and Canadian sovereignty.
A 20-year national radar strategy would not only strengthen Canada’s security but also create a new industrial pillar capable of generating high-value jobs, export revenue, and technological leadership. It would position Canada as a contributor to NATO and NORAD modernization, not merely a customer. And it would ensure that Canada has the ability to see, understand, and defend its territory in an increasingly uncertain world.
The choice is clear. The question is whether Canada will act.