Rethinking Collaborative Combat Aircraft
In a recent virtual event hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association, Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel, the U.S. Air Force’s director of force design, integration, and wargaming, suggested that the anticipated price and features of future drone wingmen could come in on the „low end.” This revelation challenges previous expectations that the next generation of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) would be significantly more costly and advanced.
Kunkel noted that although there had been predictions from former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall regarding the second increment of CCA being more „expensive” and „exquisite,” the lessons learned from the development of autonomous wingmen may lead to a different trajectory. “Increment 2 CCA might be more expensive than their increment 1 counterparts, but we also see room for other capabilities that aren’t as exquisite and are cheaper,” he remarked.
Emphasizing Mass and Combat Power
The potential for lower-cost drones might enable the Air Force to acquire larger numbers of these aircraft, augmenting their mass in operations. “You’ll see a range of options, from low end to potentially more exquisite. I believe we’ll lean toward the lower end for future increments,” Kunkel explained, indicating a shift in the service’s focus on generating combat power.
He further emphasized that the Air Force is exploring innovative ways to deploy forces beyond traditional fixed air bases, underlining a broader perspective on combat power generation.
Expanding the CCA Program
Initiated as part of the fiscal 2024 budget, the CCA program aims to deploy a fleet of drone wingmen designed to accompany aircraft in combat, potentially performing various roles such as carrying additional missiles or providing enhanced sensor capabilities. Currently, General Atomics and Anduril are contracted to develop the increment 1 CCA platform, while a classified group of vendors is focused on the drones’ autonomous capabilities. Companies not yet contracted can still compete for production bids, as long as they invest their own resources into development efforts.
As the Air Force communicates its needs, vendors are adapting their designs to align with affordability without sacrificing essential capabilities. For instance, Lockheed Martin has shifted its focus from a more elaborate design for increment 1 to more cost-effective options for increment 2.
Budget Implications and Future Integration
The Air Force initially anticipated launching the second CCA increment within the FY25 budget, though ongoing discussions involving the Biden administration have delayed definitive requirements, leaving the future direction in the hands of a new administration yet to clarify its stance.
In a January interview, Kendall indicated that while increment 2 should not be overly luxurious, it should feature enhanced capabilities compared to its predecessors. He suggested that a price increase of 20 to 30 percent could be feasible, depending on the final mix of aircraft utilized.
Kunkel noted that besides pairing CCA with fighter jets like the F-35 and F-47, other platforms such as tankers and bombers could also be integrated into this dynamic. He mentioned that in the future, the B-21 Raider and E-7 Wedgetail could potentially work alongside CCA, and the drones might even operate autonomously.
As Kunkel concluded, deploying drone wingmen with a variety of aircraft would complicate adversary calculations and improve operational dynamics, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of U.S. forces in combat scenarios.
