Canada First Country to Join European Next-Gen Jet Fighter Program as an Observer

Canada became the first country to receive observer status in the Global Combat Air Programme, a next-generation fighter effort led by the United Kingdom, Japan and Italy. Canadian officials will gain access to internal information while the sixth-generation aircraft is being developed. The announcement was made by the three countries’ defense ministers in London, where they also set out that the program aims to replace Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and Japan’s F-2 jets by 2035. Experts interviewed in the report said the initiative is still at an early stage and that it remains unclear whether Canada can participate in a way that meaningfully involves domestic industry. The Canadian government has also not finalized how it will handle its existing plan to order a full fleet of F-35 fighters; that contract has been under review amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States.