Canada has become the first country to gain observer status in a next-generation fighter jet program run by the U.K., Japan and Italy.
That means Ottawa gains access to internal information about the Global Combat Air Program as the sixth-generation fighter is under development.
The countries’ defence ministers announced the news in London today.
The three countries launched the program to replace the Eurofighter Typhoons and Japan’s F-2 jets by 2035.
Experts say it’s still very early days and it’s not clear whether Canada has a viable path to participating in the program in a way that gets domestic industry involved….