The Air Force has announced its decision to move forward with Anduril and General Atomics for the development of their autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) concepts, bypassing proposals from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. This unconventional move allows the non-selected companies to still vie for the opportunity to produce the resulting aircraft.
In a press release, the Air Force stated, “The Department of the Air Force made the decision to continue funding Anduril and General Atomics for detailed designs, manufacture, and testing of production-representative test articles under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.” Furthermore, the service clarified that the companies not chosen for constructing these production-representative CCA vehicles will remain part of the broader industry partner vendor pool, comprising over 20 companies, eligible to compete for future endeavors, including prospective production contracts.
Prior to the official launch of the CCA program, Air Force officials deliberated the prospect of segregating design and production to attract firms capable of designing advanced aircraft but possibly lacking manufacturing capabilities.
According to an Air Force spokesperson, the non-selected contenders can participate in production competitions, albeit at their own expense.
Established in 2017, Anduril is a newcomer to the unmanned aircraft sector. The Silicon Valley startup acquired Blue Force Technologies and its “Fury” stealthy aggressor drone program in autumn 2023. Conversely, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is a seasoned industry player, having developed the MQ-1 Predator and subsequently the MQ-9 Reaper remotely-piloted hunter-killer drones for the Air Force since the 1990s. The company has championed its “Gambit” concept for CCAs, featuring five platforms optimized for various missions, all built around a common core consisting of an engine, keel, and landing gear.
The selections pertain to “Increment 1” of the CCA program, with a final winner slated for determination in 2026. The Air Force also intends to launch “Increment 2” next year, although specifics regarding those platforms have yet to be publicly disclosed.
Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall has articulated plans to produce between 1,000 and 2,000 CCAs through the mid-2030s, at an estimated cost of approximately $30 million per unit. The concept behind CCAs is to provide the Air Force with “affordable mass” to counter the escalating and highly capable threat posed by China, recognizing that the Air Force cannot solely rely on manned platforms and pilot training to overwhelm a peer adversary.
While future iterations of the CCA could encompass missions such as electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as dogfighting, their initial role will focus on carrying additional munitions for F-35s, F-22s, and the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter, slated to succeed the F-22. Lt. Gen. Richard G. Moore, Jr., deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, emphasized at an AFA Warfighters in Action event earlier this month that the primary objective initially will be to augment firepower and increase the number of weapons in a formation.
Despite initial plans for Increment 2 to feature a more sophisticated, highly stealthy aircraft, recent wargames, some facilitated by AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, concluded that a greater quantity of less-sophisticated autonomous drones would be more effective in a Pacific campaign.
Reflecting on the selection process, Kendall commended the pace and quality of the CCA program’s progress, underscoring the collaboration between industry and government as instrumental in advancing the initiative. He highlighted the program’s commitment to continuous competition at every stage.
Andrew Hunter, Air Force acquisition executive, stressed the importance of sustained collaboration with both existing and potential industry partners, recognizing their expertise, innovation, and resources as crucial components in propelling the initiative forward.
The Air Force’s decision to proceed with only two competitors for Increment 1 suggests either budgetary constraints or industry reluctance to share more costs in the program. Lockheed Martin’s CEO Jim Taiclet indicated during the company’s first-quarter earnings call that the government should be prepared to pay a “risk premium” on contracts involving new technology development.
The exercise of the Air Force’s option does not preclude any of the vendors from competing for future Increment 1 production contracts. Additionally, the service is exploring international partnerships, including potential Foreign Military Sales, as part of the CCA program, aiming to enhance affordable mass and drive horizontal integration and interoperability across international partnerships.
The CCA program is funded under the NGAD program, representing one element of the NGAD concept’s “family of systems.” The Air Force has allocated $577.1 million for the CCA in its fiscal 2025 budget request and plans to invest $8.9 billion across the future-years defense plan through FY29.
Brian Schimpf, CEO and co-founder of Anduril, expressed gratitude for the selection, describing it as an opportunity to expand the defense industrial base. He emphasized Anduril’s commitment to enabling other non-traditional defense companies to compete and deliver on large-scale programs.
General Atomics highlighted the successful preliminary design review of its offering earlier this year. The company underscored the CCA program’s objective of developing a low-cost, modular, unmanned aircraft operating in collaborative teams with manned combat aircraft.
Moreover, General Atomics plans to continue testing CCA technologies on its stealthy MQ-20 Avenger unmanned aircraft to expedite the readiness of operational autonomy.