Anduril and General Atomics have completed critical design reviews for their drone prototypes under the United States Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. Both companies will begin manufacturing their designs ahead of potential flights next year. CCA drone designs move a step closer As confirmed by Col.
Timothy M. Helfrich, Air Force Materiel Command’s Senior Materiel Leader for the Advanced Aircraft Division, both companies have completed a critical design review (CDR) for their CAA, or 'wingman drone,' prototypes that will be part of future fighter jet fleets. This is a key milestone that will now pave the way for prototype production and first flights, the latter penciled in for the middle of 2025.
As reported by Breaking Defense , Diem Salmon, Anduril vice president for air dominance and strike, told reporters, "Fabrication is moving very quickly, and it’s getting to the path where we’re going to be able to integrate and support first flight that is more or less around the corner." CCAs are autonomous aircraft that will accompany the Air Force's sixth-generation NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) fighter platform. The first batch of drones are built to be low-cost and expendable and are focused on air-to-air support missions, but future platforms are likely to possess electronic warfare capability and other systems.
Anduril and General Atomics beat out competition from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman with their designs, winning con.
