Air Force Seeks at Least Two Vendors for Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has revealed that at least two of the five vendors in the collaborative combat aircraft program will proceed to the next development phase in the coming months.

Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Anduril are vying to deliver drones that will fly alongside fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets, DefenseScoop reported Tuesday. 

Speaking to reporters during an Air & Space Forces Association conference Tuesday, Kendall said the U.S. Air Force will choose two or three suppliers. The program’s next phase will involve development for production, he explained.

Kendall, a 2024 Wash100 winner, said more than one vendor could move on to production “in a couple of years.”

He previously shared that the service branch intends to buy at least 1,000 CCAs, with deployment planned for the end of fiscal year 2028.

The drones are expected to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and offensive strike missions to support crewed platforms.