Area X.O has a new site, and it introduced it the defence innovation ecosystem in a way that only it could. In action, on day one.
On August 11 and 12, the Department of National Defence (DND), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Canadian Joint Force Command (CJFC) brought the RED COBALT Uncrewed Systems (UxS) Accelerator to Area X.O Killaloe, a two-day event roughly two hours north of Ottawa, that closed with a VIP demonstration day on the 12th, built around a single idea: testing that isn’t possible anywhere else in the region.
Roughly 200 CAF operators and personnel connected directly with over 20 defence innovation companies, many of which Canadian, developing drone, counter-drone, and uncrewed ground vehicle technology.
Before the demonstrations began, a morning speaking program brought together 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.
A hangar, a classroom, and a lot of drones
Inside, trade-show-style booths filled a building the team has taken to calling “the Hangar,” with a smaller building nicknamed “the Classroom” taking shape close by, an early sign of what this site will become.
Outside, golf carts ran continuously between the main building and two live demonstration zones spread across the old runway, while robotic dogs, medical evacuation platforms, and drone flights drew crowds of uniforms and industry badges standing shoulder to shoulder.
Why this event matters
It’s worth stepping back for a second on why any of this matters. The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, put the stakes plainly: “Today’s security environment is changing rapidly, and as I like to say, we are never going to see the pace of change this slow again,” he said. “New technologies are reshaping conflict and accelerating the pace of military operations. We’re not simply preparing for today’s stress. We’re preparing for tomorrow’s.”
He added, “it turns out the countries that innovate the fastest will be the countries best positioned to protect their people, to defend their sovereignty, and contribute meaningfully to collective security alongside their allies. That’s why today’s event really matters.”
What makes the site itself different
Area X.O Killaloe’s location is deliberate, and it’s a real competitive advantage for innovators here and beyond.
Unrestricted Class G airspace, no nearby populated areas, and a 6,600-foot former Cold War-era runway allow testing at altitudes and payloads that simply can’t happen within city limits, capabilities essential to getting drones, counter-drones, and uncrewed systems to market faster and safely.
That’s 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.
That capability was on full display across two days of live demonstration zones and booths, where CAF operators worked side by side with innovators, putting technology to work on real operational challenges instead of just discussing it in a conference room.
“Days like today shorten the path from innovation to operational capability, commercialization, procurement, and deployment,” said Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa and Area X.O.
Killaloe extends what Area X.O already offers at its core Ottawa Greenbelt location, giving companies, and the CAF and DND partners they’re building trust with, a next-generation testing ground and nation building platform built for what’s 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.”
- Learn more about how Ottawa-Gatineau’s Global Defence Innovation Hub is bringing government, industry, and innovators together like this, right across the Capital Region.
- 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.