Air Force Aims for Up to Six Designs in Next Phase of Drone-Wingman Program

The U.S. Air Force is advancing its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program with plans to select up to six designs for the prototyping phase of Increment 2, according to Colonel Timothy Helfridge, who spoke at the Life Cycle Industry Days conference this week. The current timeline envisions these selections taking place by mid-2027.

Helfridge explained that the concept-refinement contract period is nearing its end, with approximately ten months left before the service evaluates the refined attributes and closed conceptual designs submitted by participating companies. "We're aiming for roughly six designs but will see what emerges," Helfridge stated, emphasizing the importance of competitive development to ensure a thorough evaluation of various solutions.

In December 2025, the Air Force announced that nine companies had been contracted to refine concepts for Increment 2 CCAs, with eleven more eligible to compete in later phases. This approach mirrors the structure of Increment 1, which allowed multiple awardees to build prototypes and eventually enter production.

Increment 1 saw initial work funded by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Anduril, and General Atomics in 2024. However, only Anduril and General Atomics were chosen for prototype development and subsequent production contracts. Northrop Grumman's self-financed CCA was designated as a prototype but did not secure a production contract.

Helfridge indicated that unexpected entrants might still compete in Increment 2 phases beyond concept refinement. "We aim to maximize competition through all phases of the program, potentially including new participants," he said, underscoring the importance of continuous learning and innovation throughout the process.

Meanwhile, Anduril recently unveiled the first Fury CCA at its Ohio facility near Rickenbacker Airport. The Air Force has been testing both the Fury prototype and General Atomics' Dark Merlin CCA in various exercises, including a multi-day Agile Combat Employment exercise conducted at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada last week.

Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Jensen, commander of the Experimental Operations Unit, highlighted the significance of these tests: "This exercise is crucial for getting our systems into the hands of warfighters outside traditional test environments. It allows us to learn continuously and adapt rapidly."

The ongoing development and testing phases underscore the Air Force's commitment to integrating advanced unmanned aircraft into its operational fleet, enhancing combat capabilities and strategic flexibility in response to evolving global security challenges.