The U.S. Air Force is gearing up for major testing phases in its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, focusing on integration with crewed fighter jets.
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The U.S. Air Force is set to embark on its inaugural large force exercise for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program in December, as confirmed by service officials earlier this week. This upcoming event marks a pivotal moment, acting as the first real test of integrating these unmanned systems in a mixed operational environment alongside fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets.
Lt. Col. Lyndon Bartlett, commander of the Experimental Operations Unit overseeing initial CCA operations, emphasized the exercise as a crucial step for “force integration.” Until now, testing has predominantly focused on sortie generation, maintenance efficiency, and operational footprint.
The CCA initiative aims to develop “loyal wingman” drones that complement crewed aircraft. In June, the Air Force awarded Increment 1 production contracts to General Atomics for the FQ-42 Vengeance (formerly known as Dark Merlin) and to Anduril Industries for the FQ-44 Fury.
Jason Levin, senior vice president at Anduril, indicated during a conference that the first flight involving a Fury drone under the control of a fighter jet pilot is imminent, potentially occurring within weeks. "We’ve already begun quarterback integration in our hardware and software environments," Levin noted, highlighting the progress made in syncing the unmanned systems with aircraft.
In July, General Atomics successfully conducted a test flight involving one of its CCA platforms operating alongside an F-5 fighter. Michael Roberts, the company’s director of emerging technology, remarked, "With this flight, we advanced past merely flying an autonomous jet; we demonstrated collaborative functions between a manned fighter and an autonomous CCA using passive sensors and shared autonomy."
In June, the Air Force also expanded its contractor roster for the mission autonomy software aspect of the CCA program, announcing six selected companies including Anduril, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX’s Collins Aerospace, and Shield AI. The service intends to move forward with a competitive award period in six months, culminating in the selection of a primary autonomy provider for Increment 1 by summer 2027.
Among the chosen suppliers, Anduril, Collins Aerospace, and Shield AI have also secured production options. Ryan Bunge, president of mission systems at Collins Aerospace, mentioned at a recent roundtable that efforts are concentrated on enhancing the software’s warfighting capabilities by incorporating tactical elements necessary for realistic mission scenarios.
Todd Wesley from Shield AI shared insights on their goal: "We aim to reach a point where we can conduct a sortie, implement overnight updates, and fly again the following day with the revised software." The ongoing verification of this process is a significant focus for the organization.
Lockheed Martin executives have announced plans to incorporate their AI pilot technology developed for the X-62A VISTA testbed into their CCA software. Ron Fehlen, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works, stated that a recent VISTA flight campaign, executed in collaboration with the Air Force Test Pilot School, is key for building trust in the artificial intelligence they are deploying in their systems, preparing for the Vectis initiative—which encompasses both CCA software and planned aircraft.
According to Fehlen, the self-funded Vectis aircraft is on track for a first flight by late 2027. Although Lockheed received an initial study contract from the Air Force in 2024, it was not selected for the next developmental phase.
Northrop Grumman's CCA platform, named Talon Blue, is also scheduled to make its first flight in 2026. A spokesperson confirmed that the platform continues to progress in terms of autonomy software and mission capabilities.
Brig. Gen. Timothy Helfrich, who supervises the Air Force’s Fighters and Advanced Aircraft acquisition, pointed out the vast potential for growth in mission autonomy, drawing a parallel to the maturation of human pilots. Bartlett added that “mission autonomy will be the secret sauce that determines the effectiveness of these systems.”
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