Canada’s involvement as an observer in the Global Combat Air Programme will further strengthen British bilateral defence cooperation with Canada, building on decades of close collaboration as Five Eyes members and NATO allies, according to answers given in Parliament.
James MacCleary, the Liberal Democrat member for Lewes, asked what assessment the department has made of the potential merits of Canada joining the Global Combat Air Programme as a full participant, and in a second question asked what discussions the Secretary of State has had with his Canadian counterpart on the same point.
Luke Pollard gave the same answer to both: “Canada’s involvement as an Observer in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) will further strengthen the UK’s bilateral defence cooperation with Canada, building on decades of close collaboration as Five Eyes members and NATO Allies.”
Canada joined the programme as an observer nation this year, alongside a British commitment of £708 million into the technologies feeding the aircraft. Observer status gives Ottawa access to programme information and a seat from which to judge whether to go further, without the funding share, workshare and governance obligations that come with full membership.
GCAP runs between the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan, with the industrial work carried by Edgewing, the joint venture formed by BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Company, and the aircraft is intended to enter service in 2035. Adding a fourth full partner would mean reopening the workshare and governance arrangements that took the three founding nations years to settle.
Canada’s interest arrives while Ottawa is reviewing its own fast jet plans, having committed to the F-35 and then reopened the question amid the wider deterioration in its relationship with Washington. A European-led sixth generation programme offers an alternative industrial partnership for a country that builds aerostructures and avionics at scale.
After the latest goings on with trump/musk cutting starliink speeds to Ukraine,cutting arms and aid to Ukraine ,diesel deals with pootin etc it shows that to actually rely on the US is becoming an increasingly dangerous game! You can’t blame Canada looking elsewhere at Grippen and now GCAP for their aircraft!
Canada invested in Telesat and MDA for low Earth orbit satellite infrastructure for defence communications. Particularly for the Arctic. This was announced three months ago. Starlink was avoided. In addition the Australian over the horizon radar was bought in conjunction.
16 x F35s is what Canada is committed to but it could go to 33. The GCAP program would enhance and maybe replace the F35 and maybe Gripens (if purchased) over time.
Both Europe and Canada are working hard to produce an alternative to Starlink. I think this even has probably put a firework up many asses in striving to avoid giving them business. It’s clear he will use it to force all manner of self serving deals to benefit him and many in America are now deeply concerned he will even use it to blackmail the US Govt and Agencies. This is in fact the second time he cut it off for Ukraine the first time was certainly his own personal decision and showed he does have the power to do so outside of Govt control, even if this time he and Trump are blaming each other for it. Now that Congress is threatening him with investigation and even potential prosecution union it’s to be noted he has threatened the lawmakers back with unspecified actions and even his own threats of imprisoning them in some cases which just shows how he sees him as a quasi politician free to combine all manner of quasi eco-political influence @0and tactics to get his way. A very dangerous man who should be excluded entirely where possible. The World us beginning to agree it seems.
A lot of new articles, but nothing on the decision to deploy Typhoons in support of Saudi air defence?
I missed that it had. I think that’s a good thing provided the ROE are tight. The US pulling back is typical of Trump’s transactional attitude, and Britain should not be a fair-weather friend.
GCAP is a perfect fit for Canada
Actually it is as CAN needs long ranges.
Grippen is great for defensive and cheap flying hours.
According to a CBC report, the DND compared the two aircraft and, in terms of military and technical capabilities, the F-35 scored 95 percent, the Gripen-E scored 33 percent.
The Gripen-E is pretty much a lightweight fighter. It’s max takeoff weight (16,500 kg) is about 2,700 kg less than an F-16C/D.
How so? Canada doesn’t need a stealthy high end fighter to defend itself. Choosing the F-35 struck me as overkill, but that gave them commonality with most of NATO. And, they could take advantage of a large procurement line to lower acquisition costs.
Canada would have been fine with buying the Super Hornet or Eagle IIs. But, since that ain’t happening, Typhoons would be a better choice.
They have to cover huge distance over the high north where an engine out can very easily mean a dead pilot.
Canadas southern border to the North Pole is @3000 miles.
Those are my thoughts as well.
The F35 for the RCAF was to be in lock step with the USAF and NORAD. NATO operability is as well a bonus.
By the looks of things 33x F325s will be procured and operational in the next couple of years.
We will see what the balance of the RCAF fighter wings will look.
Canada still has Nato commitments other than Norad. Gripen is a poor choice for Canada. Range, combat load and then overall capability isn’t very good.
I think GCAP in terms of timelines isn’t ideal for Canada if they buy Gripen or F-35. Before these two choices time out in terms of service the chances of GCAP not being in production is high. It would have to take sales from Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Poland to stretch the production line out to 2060 and that might not be long enough for Canada to be in a position for a big capital expenditure for a new fighter system
The UK should do a new treaty with Trump along the lines of our recent treaties with Germany and Poland.
I don’t think our militaries could be closer aligned by it would be a great way to Troll Trump.
One thing the UK should consider is some for if SIGNIT satellite capability shared with the CANZUK countries. It would allow us to still plug the data into five eyes but take away a critical US reliance. Two sattelites in Geo Stationary orbit would allow us to cover every from Russia, ME and China.
Or sign on with the Telsat/MDA deal Canada made with those companies for low orbit sattelite clusters.
More meaningless hot air.
Pollard is a charlatan.