Shield AI advances US Air Force CCA mission autonomy

The company’s Hivemind software integrates with Anduril’s Fury aircraft and advances system testing ahead of planned flight demonstrations.

Shield AI has been selected as a mission autonomy provider supporting the US Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme. The company was chosen following a competitive evaluation to support mission autonomy Technology Maturity and Risk Reduction efforts.

Under the programme, Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software has integrated on Anduril’s Fury (YFQ-44A) aircraft and is supporting system-level testing ahead of expected flight demonstrations in the coming months.

“Shield AI is proud to be named a mission autonomy provider supporting the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program,” says Gary Steele, CEO of Shield AI. “The Air Force is moving with urgency to explore how autonomy can reshape air combat, and we have spent years preparing for this: building, testing, and flying mission autonomy in the real world. We will work relentlessly to deliver and to help advance the next era of airpower alongside the Air Force and its industry partners.”

Hivemind is Shield AI’s core artificial intelligence software that assumes the role of a human pilot or operator, enabling unmanned defence systems to sense, decide and act. Unlike traditional autopilots that follow preplanned routes, Hivemind can reroute around no-fly zones, avoid or engage obstacles, respond to unexpected conditions and complete missions safely and effectively without human intervention.