Anduril and General Atomics have been selected to develop the first Air Force drones for combat escort, beating out three defense giants. The program, known as collaborative combat aircraft, will focus on fielding drones quickly with Anduril and General Atomics handling detailed designs, manufacturing, and testing.
The Air Force originally wanted to fund further development by three of the five vendors in the pool, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. However, budget constraints led to the selection of only two companies for the initial phase of the program. The other companies can still compete for future production contracts.
The Air Force plans to make a competitive production decision for increment one in fiscal 2026 and aims to have a fully operational capability before the end of the decade. Increment two activities will start later this year, with contracts awarded in fiscal 2025 for preliminary design work.
The goal is to have at least 1,000 Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) to fly alongside F-35s and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft. The NGAD program includes crewed and uncrewed platforms and is a crucial part of the Air Force’s operational imperatives.
