drone warfare|contracts|policy|general
June 17, 2026
5 min read
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DroneWire Intelligence
Air Force picks General Atomics, Anduril to build first CCA drone wingmen
AI Analysis
The US Air Force has selected General Atomics and Anduril to build the first wing of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones. Anduril, Shield AI, and Collins Aerospace will jointly develop the autonomy system for these CCAs. This program aims to field a force of AI-powered drone 'wingmen' to augment manned fighter aircraft.
Confidence: 95%
Key Takeaways
- General Atomics and Anduril are the primary drone platform developers selected.
- The CCA program is focused on creating drones capable of operating alongside manned aircraft.
- Anduril, Shield AI, and Collins Aerospace are collaborating on the critical autonomy software component.
- The CCA is intended to increase the combat effectiveness of existing fighter fleets.
- This selection represents a significant step towards fielding a loyal wingman capability.
Why It Matters
The CCA program signifies a major shift in Air Force strategy towards incorporating unmanned systems into core combat roles. Successful deployment of CCAs could dramatically alter air-to-air combat dynamics, providing a force multiplier and reducing risk to pilots. This also highlights the growing importance of AI and autonomy in modern warfare.
<p><a href="https://breakingdefense.com/2026/06/air-force-cca-drone-wingman-anduril-general-atomics-selection/"><img width="1024" height="577" src="https://breakingdefense.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/06/cca-together-e1781731143274.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto!important;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://breakingdefense.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/06/cca-together-e1781731143274.jpg 1024w, https://breakingdefense.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/06/cca-together-e1781731143274-300x169.jpg 300w, https://breakingdefense.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/06/cca-together-e1781731143274-768x433.jpg 768w, https://breakingdefense.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/06/cca-together-e1781731143274-180x100.jpg 180w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p><p>Anduril, Shield AI and Collins have been tapped to develop the autonomy system for the collaborative combat aircraft. </p>
Tags
AI
Anduril
UAS
Collaborative Combat Aircraft
Shield AI
General Atomics
US Air Force
CCA
Collins Aerospace
Drone Wingmen
Autonomy Systems