Canada will become observer to advanced fighter project, says source

OTTAWA, July 15 (Reuters) - Canada has reached a deal to become an observer to an advanced fighter ‌jet program being pursued by Japan, Britain and Italy, a ‌senior Canadian-based source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

The news ​was first reported by Politico.

Canadian defense officials are due to make a formal announcement on Tuesday of next week at the Farnborough International Airshow in Britain, said the source, who requested anonymity given the ‌sensitivity of the matter.

The ⁠three countries launched the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) in 2022 to field a next-generation stealth fighter by 2035, ⁠led by Britain's BAE Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Italy's Leonardo.

Any Canadian involvement would mark GCAP's first expansion beyond its three ​founding members.

Although ​observer status is an initial step ​that does not entail ‌any financial commitments, Canada could deepen its cooperation later, depending on how the project turns out, said the source.

Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty told Reuters in Tokyo last month that he had discussed GCAP with his Japanese counterpart to learn more about what he ‌described as a "promising initiative."

The announcement represents another ​step in Canada's efforts to diversify ​its defense spending away from ​the United States and forge closer European ties.

Last ‌December, Ottawa said it would join ​the European Union's ​Security Action for Europe initiative, which will give Canadian defense companies expanded access to the European market.

GCAP is one of ​two major Western ‌sixth-generation fighter projects, alongside the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation ​Air Dominance program.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing ​by Maria Cheng and Matthew Lewis)