US Air Force greenlights production of AI‑enabled drone wingmen

The United States Air Force has approved the production of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs), autonomous “loyal wingmen” drones that will operate alongside manned fighters such as the F‑35 and F‑15EX. The program targets an initial goal of 1,000 aircraft with an investment of about $8.9 billion from fiscal years 2025 to 2029, and each unit is expected to cost between $10 million and $30 million, far less than a fifth‑generation fighter.

Contracts have been awarded to General Atomics (FQ‑42 Dark Merlin) and Anduril Industries (FQ‑44 Fury) for hardware, while Anduril, RTX’s Collins Aerospace and Shield AI will develop the mission‑autonomy software. The Air Force aims to field more than 150 semi‑autonomous wingmen by the end of the decade to compensate for an aging, undersized U.S. fighter fleet—about 800 combat‑coded aircraft versus the roughly 1,200 needed for two simultaneous regional conflicts. The push is driven by concerns that China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force now fields over 3,000 aircraft, including advanced fifth‑generation models. The CCA program is intended to increase affordable combat mass, provide attritable platforms, and preserve air superiority in contested environments.