Italy has rebuffed a British push to explore bringing Germany into a programme to build a next-generation fighter jet, instead pressing for Berlin to be given low-level observer status, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The UK had led a recent effort to examine the possibility of Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a British-Italian-Japanese project to develop an advanced plane that would reduce their reliance on US fighters.

But Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto used an online meeting with British and Japanese counterparts this week to strongly oppose allowing Germany an equal role in the multibillion-dollar programme, according to the three people.