TSAMTO, April 7. Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy are working on Canada's inclusion in the GCAP (Global Combat Air Program) new generation fighter program as an observer.
According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, citing several sources in the Japanese government, a formal announcement is scheduled at a meeting of the defense ministers of the three founding countries scheduled for July 2026 in the UK.
Observer status will provide Ottawa with access to a certain amount of classified information about the project (operational concepts, industrial structure of the program and individual technical parameters) without the right to vote in governing bodies and without financial obligations. Within the framework of the current observer policy, it is assumed that it is possible to move to deeper participation, including industrial cooperation, procurement, or entry into the development phase, depending on the conditions.
The issue of Canada's participation in the GCAP was included in the agenda of the March 6 talks between Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Canadian Minister of National Defense David McGinty, held in Tokyo during the official visit of Prime Minister Mark Carney. The negotiations were based on a Comprehensive Strategic Roadmap signed by the two countries in early March 2026, which provides for in-depth cooperation in the defense industry and the compatibility of the armed forces. In January 2026, Tokyo and Ottawa also signed a bilateral agreement on the transfer of defense equipment and technology.
Canada's interest in GCAP arose against the background of a review of the contract for the purchase of 88 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning 2 fighters with a total value of about 19 billion Canadian dollars (13.7 billion US dollars). According to CAMTO, Mark Carney's government is evaluating the possibility of canceling the purchase of the remaining 72 units from the initial order. Among the alternatives being considered is the JAS-39E Gripen from the Swedish company Saab, which took second place in the initial competition.
The GCAP program was officially launched in December 2022. The international government organization GIGO (GCAP International Government Organization) was established to manage the program, the convention on the establishment of which entered into force on December 10, 2024 after Italy deposited the last instrument of ratification with the Government of the United Kingdom.
On April 2, 2026, the three participating countries signed the first trilateral public-private contract worth $900 million with the Edgewing consortium, a joint venture between BAE Systems (Great Britain), Leonardo (Italy) and JAIEC (Japan, a consortium led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries). The planned production volume is about 350 units for the three operating countries.
The GCAP aircraft is designed as a sixth-generation multirole fighter aircraft with low radar visibility. According to open data, the configuration is a tailless delta. The power plant consists of two Rolls–Royce/ IHI engines with a thrust of about 150 kN each. The estimated maximum speed is 2.5 M, the practical ceiling is up to 19800 m. The weapon system includes a modular internal compartment for missiles and aerial bombs, guided energy weapon systems and electronic warfare systems. Integration with combat unmanned wingmen is envisaged. The fighter is designed to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon (scheduled decommissioning in 2040) in the British and Italian Air Forces, as well as the Japanese F-2.
According to the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Singapore, Australia, India and Saudi Arabia are also showing interest in the program. A number of European States (Germany, Sweden and Poland) have also entered into a dialogue on the program with the three founding countries.
At the same time, the target date for the adoption of the GCAP aircraft (2035) is in doubt. A number of experts suggest postponing the deployment to 2040 and later.
