OSLO, Norway — Norwegian defense company Kongsberg has signed a contract worth NOK 1.1 billion (nearly $120 million) with General Dynamics Land Systems–Canada (GDLS-Canada) to supply additional Protector RS4 Remote Weapon Systems (RWS) for the Canadian Army.
The systems will be integrated onto Canada’s Armoured Combat Support Vehicle (ACSV) fleet. The contract is a follow-on procurement under the existing ACSV program and builds on previous deliveries of Protector RS4 systems by Kongsberg for the same vehicle platform.
“This contract confirms our customer’s confidence in the Protector systems and further strengthens our long-term partnership with GDLS-Canada,” said Kjetil Reiten Myhra, Executive Vice President of Kongsberg and President of the Defence Systems division. “We are proud that the RS4 continues to be selected as a key capability for the Canadian Armed Forces’ modern vehicle fleet.”
Continued Kongsberg-Canada Cooperation
The latest contract continues Kongsberg’s established relationship with the Canadian Armed Forces and GDLS-Canada. Canada has used Kongsberg remote weapon stations on its ACSV fleet for several years, with an earlier contract in 2020 covering Protector systems for the same program.
Kongsberg said the additional systems will expand and improve the operational capabilities of the Canadian Army. The order also keeps Kongsberg as a remote weapon system supplier for ACSV vehicles produced by GDLS-Canada.
In July 2026, the Canadian government announced plans to expand the ACSV fleet through the procurement of additional vehicles from GDLS-Canada under a larger multi-year arrangement.
Protector RS4 Remote Weapon System
The Protector RS4 is part of Kongsberg’s Protector family of remotely operated weapon systems. It is designed to allow vehicle crews to operate weapons from inside the protected vehicle while providing observation, targeting and weapon-control capabilities.
The system can support different weapon configurations, including 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns, as well as 40 mm automatic grenade launchers. It can also incorporate optional anti-tank guided missiles.
The RS4 uses an electro-optical sensor suite that can include day cameras, thermal imagers and laser rangefinders. These systems provide the crew with observation and targeting information while operating the weapon station remotely.
Kongsberg states that the Protector family has more than 20 years of combat-proven experience, with more than 25,000 systems fielded globally.
The RS4 is also designed to support capabilities including wireless control, multi-sensor fusion and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) software. These features allow the system to be adapted to different operational requirements and vehicle platforms.
The new contract will provide additional Protector RS4 systems for Canada’s ACSV fleet, extending Kongsberg’s involvement in the program and continuing the use of remotely operated weapon stations on Canadian Army vehicles.
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