The department emphasized that observer status will help Canada assess potential operational and economic benefits of deeper involvement. Ottawa’s decision to kick the tires on a new, multinational fighter jet program does not come with any sort of price tag, National Defence has confirmed. Canada recently became the first country to gain “observer status” with the Global Combat Air Program, a sixth-generation fighter jet under joint development by Italy, Japan and the U.K.AdvertisementWhile the department said observer status comes with no strings attached, there would be “resource implications” should Canada decide eventually to join the next-generation jet development program as a full member. Each F-35 jet produced through the global program contains some $3.6 million in Canadian-made components, according to federal government briefing materials. “The ongoing F-35 review is taking into consideration economic and industrial outcomes for Canada, including related to sovereign unmanned systems,” the government report said.