Canada weighs buying Turkish drones it sanctioned in 2019

Canada weighs buying Turkish drones it sanctioned in 2019 Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Thu, 05/14/2026 - 11:42 Ottawa's drone interest reflects a wider defence procurement shift as Carney prepares for an October visit to Turkey A Baykar Akinci combat drone seen from an Azerbaijani air force Mikoyan MiG-29 as it flies over Baku in May 2022 (Handout/Baykar Defence/AFP) Off When Canada imposed an arms sales ban on Turkey in 2019 over Ankara’s military incursion into Syria , Turkish drone makers Baykar and TAI were among the companies most affected. Both firms had been using electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) cameras produced by Canadian manufacturer Wescam. The embargo forced them to seek alternative suppliers, including domestic companies. Today, Turkey has several local firms producing such cameras. Now, seven years later, the same country that sanctioned Turkish drone camera exports is considering buying Turkish military drones. “Canada is interested in purchasing medium-altitude, long-endurance drones for surveillance purposes,” one official told Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity. The official cautioned that the discussions were still at an early stage and might not materialise, but said the shift in mood in Canada under Prime Minister Mark Carney was unmistakable.   MEE has reached out to the Canadian embassy in Ankara for comment.  Speaking in Istanbul during a panel last week, Canadian Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr said his country was ready to work more closely with Turkey in areas where Ankara has particular strengths in the defence industry. In a separate interview with Defense News this week, he id...

Original source: Middle East Eye