Soldiers from Canada and allied nations are at CFB Gagetown this month for Ardent Defender, a multinational competition to detect and neutralize explosive devices. The event, running until Oct. 29, focuses on evolving threats like IEDs and drones, and uses advanced technology like 3D printers.
Ardent Defender is a multinational competition taking place until Oct. 29
Isabelle Leger · CBC News
· Posted: Oct 22, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
Ardent Defender, hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal Organization, is welcoming soldiers from across Canada and from allied nations to learn how to detect and detain explosive devices. (Michael Heenan/CBC)
Soldiers from across Canada and some allied nations are competing at Base Gagetown this month, demonstrating their skills detecting and defeating explosive threats.
Ardent Defender, hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal Organization, welcomed soldiers from around the world, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.
The multinational competition began Oct. 16 and runs until Oct. 29.
“It is very much an integrated allied activity, where we’re learning how to deal with threats in current and other battle spaces we may go to to keep apprised of what’s going on,” said Brig.-Gen. Paul Lockhart, chief of staff operations for the Canadian Army.
The annual event has been hosted in Gagetown for the last couple of years.
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