The U.S. Air Force said Monday it plans to have at least 500 semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft in service by 2032, part of a broader effort to add lower-cost uncrewed aircraft alongside traditional fighters. The service also announced official names for its first two CCA designs during the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference. The Air Force ultimately plans to acquire about 1,000 combat-ready CCAs.
500 CCAs By 2032
“We intend to have at least 500 of these in service by 2032,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said during his Monday keynote. “They’ll perform many of the missions that manned fighters currently execute.”
The first two aircraft are General Atomics’ FQ-42 Vengeance and Anduril Industries’ FQ-44 Fury. The aircraft are intended to operate alongside crewed fighters and extend their range, sensing and combat capabilities. The Air Force awarded additional CCA contracts in June for aircraft and mission-autonomy software as it moves the program toward operational use.
More Uncrewed Aircraft
Meink also outlined plans to acquire 500 Massed Modular Aircraft by 2032. The smaller uncrewed aircraft are intended for missions that include reconnaissance and strike operations, and the Air Force says it wants the first 100 in service by 2029. According to Meink, the MMA air vehicles are expected to cost about half as much as a CCA and roughly one-tenth as much as a fifth-generation fighter.
The two programs would give the Air Force about 1,000 new autonomous or semi-autonomous combat aircraft by 2032 if the service meets its targets. Meink said the eventual CCA fleet could include multiple versions as the Air Force evaluates the first aircraft and determines what additional missions and capabilities are needed.
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