Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, who has been nominated to be the Air Force’s next chief of staff, addressed the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Thursday. He mentioned that the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard may establish their own Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) squadrons in addition to those of the active duty.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft are semi-autonomous drone wingmen designed to operate alongside manned fighters such as the F-35 and the upcoming F-47, which is a sixth-generation fighter being developed by Boeing. The Air Force envisions these CCAs carrying out various missions including strikes, reconnaissance, signal jamming, and acting as decoys to divert enemy fire away from piloted aircraft.
Last year, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Anduril were selected to develop the initial iterations of these CCAs. General Atomics’ prototype, the YFQ-42A, began flight tests in August, while Anduril’s YFQ-44A is expected to start flight tests within the month. Ground testing for both prototypes has been ongoing since May.
During the confirmation hearing, Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan whose state is home to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, underscored the importance of CCAs, emphasizing that they could enhance the Air Force’s lethality while reducing risks to manned aircraft. Peters expressed hope that this technology would be available to the National Guard, as it has evolved from a strategic reserve to an operational force.
Wilsbach indicated that the Air Force still has substantial learning to accomplish regarding CCAs. He clarified that these new aircraft will not be integrated into existing fighter squadrons but will form their own squadrons, allowing for strategic dispersal to accompany manned jets.
Moreover, Wilsbach noted that he sees no reason why the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard would not be included in CCA operations. Selfridge Air National Guard Base is scheduled to receive the KC-46A Pegasus tanker, and its retiring A-10 Warthogs are expected to be replaced by the F-15EX Eagle II fighter in the future. Peters suggested the possibility of CCAs operating alongside the F-15EX and KC-46.
Peters also assured that the CCA program remains on schedule and within budget, labeling it as a successful collaboration between the Air Force and industry. The formation of independent CCA squadrons could provide the Air Force with increased flexibility, minimizing ties to specific manned fighters or organizations.
In May, the Air Force announced that ground testing for the CCAs had started and indicated that the first readiness unit for the drones would be situated at Beale Air Force Base in California. This unit is intended to maintain the CCAs in a “fly-ready status” to facilitate rapid deployment when necessary.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News, having previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, as well as special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has reported on U.S. Air Force operations in the Middle East.
