DefenseUSAF to pick YFQ-42A or YFQ-44A as first CCA winner by year-end
The U.S. Air Force plans to select a winner for the first increment of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program by the end of this year, marking a key step toward fielding autonomous tactical jets designed to operate with limited human oversight.
Colonel Timothy Helfrich, the service’s portfolio acquisition executive for fighters and advanced aircraft, told Flight Global that the decision will be made “by the end of the year” and will cover both the air vehicle and the mission autonomy software. Once selected, production is expected to follow quickly.
The first phase of CCA development centers on two competing prototypes: the YFQ-42A from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and the YFQ-44A from Anduril Industries. Both aircraft are already in flight testing, with recent sorties expanding to include weapons integration using inert munitions and the first operational evaluations of competing autonomy systems.
The Air Force is effectively running parallel competitions. Shield AI’s Hivemind mission autonomy software is flying aboard the YFQ-44A, while Collins Aerospace’s Sidekick system has been paired with the YFQ-42A. The service has stressed that the winning software will not necessarily be tied to the winning airframe, reflecting an open-architecture approach that allows different autonomy packages to operate across multiple platforms.
Initial operational scope for Increment 1 is expected to focus on air-to-air missions and coordination with crewed aircraft, including receiving tasking from human pilots and relaying sensor data. Future increments are anticipated to expand the range of missions and aircraft sizes.
While the current competition is limited to the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, Northrop Grumman has also entered the CCA arena with its YFQ-48A Talon Blue. That aircraft, designated separately by the Air Force, is not part of the first increment selection and is expected to compete in a subsequent phase as the programme evolves.
The CCA effort is seen as central to the Air Force’s strategy to increase combat mass without relying solely on high-cost crewed fighters. As flight testing accelerates and autonomy systems mature, the upcoming selection will shape the first operational generation of uncrewed combat aircraft integrated into USAF fighter formations.
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