The U.S. Department of the Air Force has awarded a series of major contracts under its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, covering both Increment 1 air vehicles and mission autonomy software as part of a broader effort to rapidly field next-generation combat capabilities. The awards reflect a transformative acquisition strategy that separates mission autonomy software from aircraft hardware, allowing the Air Force to update and enhance software independently of the physical platform. Officials say this “software sold separately” approach will provide warfighters with advanced aircraft equipped with continuously evolving autonomous capabilities.
Building on decades of semi-autonomous flight development, CCAs are designed to operate alongside crewed fighter aircraft, extending operational reach, improving situational awareness, and enhancing survivability in contested environments. The human-machine teaming concept is expected to strengthen deterrence and reinforce U.S. air superiority.
“Collaborative Combat Aircraft change how we project power and generate mass in highly contested environments,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach. “Delivering this capability to our warfighters faster ensures our forces maintain the tactical edge required to deter and, if necessary, defeat any adversary.”
Hardware contracts awarded ahead of schedule.
The Air Force has awarded engineering, manufacturing, development, and production contracts for CCA Increment 1 to General Atomics for the FQ-42 and Anduril for the FQ-44.
Awarded four months ahead of schedule, the contracts confirm that both aircraft designs have satisfied mission requirements and are ready to transition into full-scale manufacturing. Following a competitive evaluation process, the Air Force selected the platforms as the most capable and cost-effective solutions for maintaining air superiority in increasingly complex threat environments.
“By moving fast from competitive selection into full-scale manufacturing, we position ourselves to field highly credible and combat-ready semi-autonomous systems to stay ahead of the pacing challenge,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. “These contracts reaffirm our confidence in the strategic path forward for the program to procure over 150 combat-capable CCA by the end of the decade.”
Multi-vendor competition for mission autonomy software
Alongside the aircraft awards, the Air Force established a competitive marketplace for mission autonomy software by awarding production contracts to six companies:
The six-year contract framework is designed to promote continuous competition and accelerate software innovation. To further speed capability delivery, the Air Force has also awarded initial production options to Anduril, RTX Collins Aerospace, and Shield AI.
These companies will participate in the first of two six-month competitive phases focused on delivering operational mission autonomy software. After the initial phase, the Air Force will evaluate performance before launching a second competitive period, ultimately selecting a primary autonomy software provider for CCA Increment 1 by summer 2027.
“Mission autonomy is the cornerstone of the CCA concept, and leveraging a competitive, multi-vendor environment ensures we capture the latest technology,” Meink said. “This approach guarantees our Airmen are equipped with state-of-the-art capabilities today but keeps the door open for the breakthroughs necessary to maintain air superiority.”
Performance-Based Software Acquisition Model
The software contracts introduce a first-of-its-kind award fee structure that ties payments directly to operator feedback and combat performance. Vendors will receive full licensing payments only if their software delivers capabilities that meet operational requirements and warfighter expectations.
The licensing framework also allows the Air Force to acquire software licenses from any of the six approved vendors throughout the six-year contract period, ensuring continued access to the most effective and affordable autonomy solutions as technology evolves.
Open architecture enables greater flexibility.
A central element of the CCA strategy is the government-owned Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), which serves as the program’s open systems foundation. Compliance with A-GRA is mandatory for all participating vendors and enables mission autonomy software to be integrated across multiple aircraft platforms.
By decoupling software from hardware, the architecture allows rapid software updates and seamless portability between different CCA airframes, providing greater operational flexibility in response to emerging threats.
“Open systems architecture is critical in modern warfare,” Wilsbach said. “It allows us to capitalize on the most advanced autonomy solutions to ensure we incorporate the best technology in our weapon systems.”
Path toward a 1,000-aircraft fleet
The Air Force plans to field approximately 1,000 combat-capable Collaborative Combat Aircraft in the coming years. Officials believe the program’s acquisition model, centered on continuous competition and software-driven innovation, will reduce costs while significantly expanding fighter force capacity and operational effectiveness.
The latest contract awards mark a major milestone in the Air Force’s effort to integrate autonomous systems into future air combat operations and maintain a technological edge against evolving global threats.
