Key facts
- Canada has formally applied to join the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) military coalition.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney's office announced the application on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
- The JEF is a rapid-reaction military force designed to complement NATO, particularly for defending the Baltics, High North, and Arctic regions.
- Canada and the UK are exploring merging their defense financing initiatives.
- Canada joined the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) as an observer in July 2026.
- Canada and the UK are working to modernize the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS).
Canada has formally applied to join the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) military coalition, Prime Minister Mark Carney's office announced on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The JEF is a rapid-reaction military force comprised of 10 member states, designed to complement NATO, particularly in defending the Baltics, High North, and Arctic regions from potential threats like Russia.
Prime Minister Carney met with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on the same day to discuss the deepening defense and security partnership between the two nations. They noted opportunities for further strengthening these efforts, including through defense industrial cooperation via the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which Canada joined as an observer in July 2026. Additionally, Canada and the UK are working on modernizing the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) and are in discussions about merging their proposed defense financing initiatives to amplify their effects.