The US Air Force integrates autonomous software into prototype CCAs, boosting semi-autonomous drone wingmen for strike and recon missions.
In a push toward autonomous air combat, the US Air Force has successfully integrated government-owned autonomous software into both of its prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft . Designed as semi- autonomous drone wingmen, the CCA s are expected to operate alongside crewed fighters like the F-35A , performing strike, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and decoy missions as the Air Force moves toward fielding at least 1,000 aircraft.
“This effort validates a cornerstone of the service’s acquisition transformation: using a modular, open-systems approach to supercharge the defense industrial base,” said the US Air Force in a statement. Yesterday, the United States Marine Corps announced to have selected General Atomics’ YFQ-42A and Anduril’s YFQ-44A for CCA flight testing with digital brain integration.Modular drone milestoneThe CCA, also known as a “loyal wingman,” is a new type of uncrewed weapon system that could fly alongside new and existing crewed fighter jets. The Air Force plans to field at least 1,000 CCAs in multiple configurations. These aircraft are intended to conduct strike missions, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and decoy operations to draw enemy fire away from piloted fighters, Defense News.In 2024, the Air Force awarded contracts to General Atomics and Anduril Industries to develop the first CCA prototypes, designated the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively. Ground testing for both aircraft commenced in the spring of 2025, followed by flight testing later that year.The Air Force has now integrated third-party autonomous software into both CCA models using the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture, or A-GRA. According to the service, this framework enables mission software to be decoupled from specific vehicle hardware, allowing for easier integration of new technologies across different aircraft platforms. The US Air Force says the initiative reflects the department’s new acquisition strategy, which focuses on speed, rapid innovation, and a software-first approach rather than relying solely on hardware upgrades. Flexible mission architectureThe A-GRA is a Modular Open Systems Approach designed to prevent vendor lock by setting a universal standard for mission autonomy. It enables rapid integration of new software and algorithms from both traditional and non-traditional industry partners. The framework supports faster upgrades, cross-platform adaptability and quicker iteration of tactics and capabilities across the fleet to address evolving threats.Mission autonomy vendors RTX Collins and Shield AI are leading the integration work. RTX Collins is partnering with General Atomics to test the system on the YFQ-42A, while Shield AI is working with Anduril on the YFQ-44A. Both teams have begun semi-autonomous flight testing to evaluate how well the software performs across different airframes.By successfully demonstrating that the same architecture can function on multiple aircraft built by different manufacturers, the Air Force is showing that mission software can be separated from the physical platform. This approach reduces integration barriers, speeds up technology upgrades, and encourages greater competition and innovation across the defense industrial base, reports the US Air Force. “Verifying A-GRA across multiple partners is critical to our acquisition strategy. It proves that we are not locked into a single solution or a single vendor. We are instead building a competitive ecosystem where the best algorithms can be deployed rapidly to the warfighter on any A-GRA compliant platform, regardless of the vendor providing the algorithm,” said Col. Timothy Helfrich, Portfolio Acquisition executive for Fighters and Advanced Aircraft, in a statement.According to the US Air Force, ongoing evaluation of the A-GRA generates essential data to deliver an effective operational capability. The program supports the National Defense Strategy by developing platforms that enhance major weapons systems, helping the service provide an affordable, adaptable, and powerful force multiplier for joint operations.
Autonomous Drone Autonomy Government Reference Architecture CCA Collaborative Combat Aircraft Drone F-35A General Atomics US Air Force US Army
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