In Canada, Hundreds of British Soldiers Will Undergo Training in Use of Drones and Electronic Warfare

Hundreds of British soldiers will begin training in the use of drones and electronic warfare systems at a training range in Canada.

This was reported by Sky News, citing an interview with Canadian Army Commander Lieutenant General Michael Wright and its own sources within the UK Ministry of Defence.

These exercises will begin several years after the United Kingdom canceled large-scale exercises involving tanks and artillery at this facility.

According to Michael Wright, the Canadian and British sides are working together to modernize the Suffield Training Base in Southern Alberta.

This new phase of cooperation is less focused on large-scale maneuvers and more on testing technologies needed by both armies.

The shift in training focus toward unmanned systems stems from Western armies’ desire to learn lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Approximately 350 servicemen from the British 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment will travel to Canada to participate in the July exercises. The training will take place on a site at least four times the size of the British Salisbury Plain training ground.

The exercises have been named Rhino Biz.

Conducting such exercises within the United Kingdom itself is hindered by current peacetime civil aviation regulations and other domestic restrictions. As a result, it is difficult for the British Army to practice the use of drones and counter-drone technologies on home soil.

Companies specializing in the production of drones and counter-drone systems will be involved in the training.

The Canadian Armed Forces have also introduced a new 22-day training course that requires every service member to be able to operate a drone and defend against aerial surveillance or munitions drops.

The British Army has been using this Canadian training center since 1972.