At CANSEC 2026 in Ottawa, Canadian defence technology company Convergence Design Services is set to unveil what it describes as a new model for sovereign defence capability: the MIL-V, a fully Canadian-owned and Canadian-built electrically powered military vehicle platform developed through the collaboration of thirteen domestic companies.

More than a vehicle launch, the MIL-V represents a coordinated industrial effort designed to align with Canada’s growing emphasis on sovereign capability, domestic procurement, and resilient supply chains. Convergence, acting as platform prime and systems integrator, brought together twelve Canadian partners, each contributing proprietary technology to the platform while ensuring all intellectual property and integration remain under Canadian control.

“Canadian defence companies are the backbone of future technology innovation,” said Ben Seaman, President at Convergence Design Services. “This collaboration of thirteen Canadian companies on one sovereign electric platform showcases what our industry is capable of across a multitude of missions. One hundred percent Canadian-built. Canadian IP. Canadian owned. This is what sovereign defence capability looks like in practice.”

Designed as a mission-ready autonomous vehicle platform, the MIL-V can operate with or without a driver and is engineered to adapt quickly across a wide range of operational requirements. Its electrically powered architecture provides a near-silent acoustic signature and reduced thermal profile, features increasingly valued for stealth and low-observability missions.

The platform’s open modular architecture allows operators to rapidly configure the vehicle for breaching, casualty evacuation, resupply, ISR, and force protection missions without returning to base. An onboard power distribution system supports multiple mission systems simultaneously, while multi-domain sensor fusion provides real-time situational awareness for both operators and autonomous systems.

The broader significance of the project lies in how it was assembled. In an era marked by geopolitical uncertainty and supply chain disruption, the MIL-V has been built entirely around Canadian-owned technologies and suppliers. That means the platform’s components, intellectual property, and production pathways remain accessible within Canada and are insulated from foreign export restrictions or shifting international policy environments.

Among the contributing companies are Calian, providing resilient and anti-jamming GNSS technology; Pleora Technologies, contributing rugged vision switching and sensor connectivity systems; Kontron, supporting autonomous edge AI computing; and Volthium, supplying Canadian lithium battery systems and energy storage capabilities.

“The MIL-V demonstrates the strength of Canadian collaboration in advancing sovereign defence capability. Bringing together Canadian organizations and technologies designed and developed here at home reflects the kind of innovation and partnership needed to strengthen Canada's industrial capability. We are proud to support this effort with our precision and resilient GNSS technology alongside Convergence and other Canadian companies,” expressed Darrell Wellington, VP and GNSS GM, Calian.

“Being demoed inside an autonomous vehicle at CANSEC with Convergence is a real glimpse of how integrated, mission-ready autonomy is moving from concept to reality. Pleora plays a critical role in enabling this shift by delivering secure, high-performance video connectivity and sensor data transport that defence platforms depend on for real-time situational awareness, autonomy, and mission-critical decision-making,” said Ed Goffin, Vice President, Product Marketing, Pleora Technologies.

The launch also arrives at a pivotal moment for Canada’s defence industrial base. Through the Defence Investment Strategy, Ottawa has committed to rebuilding domestic defence capability, streamlining procurement, and directing up to 70 per cent of defence acquisitions toward Canadian firms. The MIL-V positions itself squarely within that evolving framework, offering a platform designed not only for operational flexibility, but also for scalable domestic production.

For Convergence Design Services, the unveiling reflects years of investment in sovereign defence technologies rather than a sudden response to shifting political priorities. As Canada pushes to strengthen industrial resilience and technological independence, the MIL-V stands as a visible demonstration of what a coordinated domestic defence ecosystem can produce.