Air Force Awards Contracts for Collaborative Combat Aircraft Development

On Wednesday the U.S. Air Force announced its decision to continue funding Anduril and General Atomics for the detailed designs, manufacture, and testing of production representative test articles under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, marking a major step in equipping the Air Force with next generation air dominance capabilities.  

CCA is part of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems, which is an effort by the department to develop crewed and uncrewed systems that will advance the Air Force’s air superiority efforts. If you would like to learn more about NGAD, be sure to check out this guide. 

While Anduril and General Atomics were awarded the CCA options, the other twenty companies that applied will remain in the broader industry partner vendor pool and will compete for future vendor contracts. 

“Just over two years ago, we announced our intent, as part of our Operational Imperatives, to pursue collaborative combat aircraft. Now, following the enactment of the fiscal year 2024 budget, we're exercising option awards to two companies to construct production representative test articles. The progress we've made is a testament to the invaluable collaboration with industry, whose investment alongside the Air Force has propelled this initiative forward. It's truly encouraging to witness the rapid execution of this program,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. 

According to the Air Force, the department is well-positioned to reach a competitive production decision for the initial phase of CCA by fiscal year 2026, aiming to deploy a fully operational capability before the decade's close. Importantly, the Air Force remains open to all vendors for future Increment 1 production contracts.

Exploring international collaborations, including potential Foreign Military Sales, is integral to the CCA program's strategy. These partnerships aim to enhance scalability affordably while promoting interoperability across borders.

Preparations for CCA Increment 2 development are underway, with initial steps commencing later this year. Both current and prospective industry partners are allowed to compete for this subsequent phase.

The overarching goal of the CCA program is to deliver over 1,000 CCAs, prioritizing cost-effective scalability. Given the longstanding importance of air superiority to America's military dominance, CCA offers expanded fighter capacity at reduced costs and flexible timelines.

If you would like to hear more from vendors and USAF involved with the CCA contract, be sure to register for IDGA’s Air Dominance Summit in May. During this two-day event a panel discussion will be held to discuss, and throughout the conference, USAF attendees and employees of vendors such as General Atomics will be present.