Canada Joins Global Combat Air Program as Observer

The Government of Canada is expected to announce on Tuesday, July 21, that it will join the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) as an observer. The announcement is timed to coincide with the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, where several Canadian cabinet ministers are currently meeting. By seeking observer status, Ottawa intends to gain access to internal information on the sixth-generation fighter jet project led by the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy.

Defence Minister David McGuinty previously expressed interest in the program during a June meeting in Tokyo with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. The GCAP project aims to replace Japan's F-2 jets and the Eurofighter Typhoons used by the U.K. and Italy. This strategic shift occurs as Prime Minister Mark Carney continues a review of Canada's planned purchase of 88 fifth-generation F-35 jets. That acquisition process has been stalled since March 2025 due to a trade war initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The move allows Canada to evaluate future participation and explore potential domestic industry involvement. It also provides leverage in negotiations with other contractors, such as Boeing, which is developing the F-47 as part of a separate U.S. initiative. McGuinty noted that the United States is currently pursuing its own individual initiatives in the sixth-generation fighter space.