QUADRILATERAL Joint Statement on Canada becoming an Observer to GCAP

Press Release + Noah Note

July 21, 2026 – London, United Kingdom – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

On July 21, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Japanese Defense Minister KOIZUMI Shinjirō, UK Secretary of State for Defence Wes Streeting, and Canadian Minister of National Defence David J. McGuinty met in London to discuss Canada’s participation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). The Ministers of Italy, Japan and the UK welcomed Canada’s participation as an Observer, and all four Ministers welcomed the opportunities arising from this important development. This announcement marks an important step in strengthening cooperation among trusted, like-minded partners through the Programme.

Observer status will provide Canada with enhanced insight into GCAP and an opportunity to deepen its understanding of the Programme’s governance, capabilities and industrial framework, as well as the related security requirements and wider partnering opportunities.

For Italy, Japan and the UK, Canada’s involvement will also support greater alignment of strategic priorities and deepen mutual understanding of future combat air ambitions, thereby strengthening global security.

Since the Programme’s inception, GCAP has been founded on the principle that international collaboration delivers significant benefits. In a complex global security environment, Italy, Japan, and the UK have remained committed to engaging with trusted allies and partners to strengthen the Programme and maximise its long-term strategic impact.

As they begin this new phase of the Programme, the Ministers of Italy, Japan, and the UK reaffirmed their commitment to openness, collaboration with like-minded partners, and the delivery of a next-generation combat aircraft capable of meeting future security challenges.

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Noah Note: There was very little details from what I got about what the next stages would be, perhaps that is to be expected. We are in a stramge spot as the first observer in the initative, and that will always carry some unknowns. From here though what happens next remains in our court.

Being an observer gives Canada access to classified information about the project. It allows us to participate ij forums and discussions, and it opens the door to deeper collaboration on the platform in the future, as we said before, training and simulators seems the big one st this stage, so congrats to CAE for that.

GCAP is not an F-35 replacement, nor does it kill Gripen. I wanna make note of that. For the Feds, the review has always been a seperate thing from GCAP, which is still envisioned as a distant, next-generation capability that will come after whatever choice is made. I find too many people conflate its role to the Feds in current discussions. They don't really see it that way.

On thr flipside, I am very happy to see GCAP for entirely selfish reasons, as we were the first to report on a sixth-generation fighter last June or July. Thats when a bunch of people told me there was zero chance they cared. I am happy. Even then we heard it was a GCAP focus. FCAS was seen as risky and unlikely to succeed (lol) and American programs were off the table. Similarly, a Swedish-German Sixth-Generation would be compelling, but starting from a very early stage.

Point being, there was little reason to not get in if we could. Of course Observer status, right now, is fairly token in nature. We have no financials in this, no commitments, we don't have any orders in the plans..if we wanted to go to another Sixth-Gen down the road? We could with no issues. Of course, courting miltiple people on these kinds of projects twnds to be seen as a big negative. People want commitment to at least keep yourself close.

GCAP, if we did order it, likely wouldn't be available to us until the 2040s, so for many it is a far off thing beyond most any of us. It is also probably the one area the RCAF and Geds come together on Fighters quite handily. Feds like the idea on being in a Sixth-Gen supply chain, being a contributor and early partner.

RCAF would love a stealthy, long-range, fully-digital, Sixth-Gen platform to supplement the existing fleet. Although should note it will be very expensive, so I would never expect a large fleet. Sixth-Gen platforms when it comes to Digital Systems, SWAP-C, AI Integration, and Sensor capability are on an entirely other level to something like the F-35. Quite a few chalk that to bigger, but it also comes from being able to build a digital-platform from scratch in the 21st Century environment, where you can prioiritize things like Data Fusion, AI, true networked capability, etc.

So this is one area where both sides are on the same task either way, and so for them this is a no brainer to at least jump. What comes from here though, that is up to the Geds to make the moves. Only they can forge the path forward.