The U.S. Air Force has awarded initial production contracts for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Anduril Industries. This move, announced on Wednesday, is four months ahead of schedule and marks a significant step towards fielding autonomous "loyal wingmen" designed to accompany crewed fighters like the F-35 and the future F-47.
General Atomics will produce its FQ-42A drone, while Anduril will develop its FQ-44A. These semi-autonomous, jet-powered drones will extend the sensor and weapon capabilities of their manned counterparts, taking on risky missions to protect pilots. The Air Force aims to acquire more than 150 combat-capable CCAs by the end of the decade, with a long-term goal of approximately 1,000 aircraft. The fiscal 2027 budget request includes nearly $1 billion for procurement, with the service stating that the per-unit cost is on track to be less than $30 million, roughly one-third the cost of an F-35A.
In parallel with hardware production, a competition is underway for the autonomy software that will operate these drones. Six companies — Anduril, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX Collins Aerospace, and Shield AI — were initially selected for a six-year pool. Three of these — Anduril, RTX Collins Aerospace, and Shield AI — have been chosen to begin immediate work on autonomous software in a two-phase, six-month head-to-head competition. The Air Force plans to select a single primary software provider for Increment 1 by summer 2027, leveraging a modular, open-systems architecture for flexibility.
