The U.S. Air Force has awarded a series of production contracts covering both Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) air vehicles and mission autonomy software, advancing a procurement strategy designed to separate software development from aircraft production.

General Atomics and Anduril have secured engineering, manufacturing and production contracts for the FQ-42A and FQ-44A respectively. Awarded four months ahead of schedule, the contracts move both aircraft into full-scale manufacturing following a competitive selection process.

The programme is expected to deliver more than 150 combat-capable aircraft by the end of the decade, with plans ultimately calling for a fleet of around 1,000 CCA.

“Collaborative Combat Aircraft change how we project power and generate mass in highly contested environments,” says Ken Wilsbach, Air Force Chief of Staff General. “Delivering this capability to our warfighters faster ensures our forces maintain the tactical edge required to deter and, if necessary, defeat any adversary.”

A parallel software effort underpins the programme's autonomy strategy. Mission autonomy production contracts have been awarded to Anduril, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX Collins Aerospace and Shield AI under a six-year framework designed to maintain competition and accelerate software development.

Initial production options have also been awarded to Anduril, RTX Collins Aerospace and Shield AI to speed delivery of operational capabilities, with a primary autonomy provider expected to be selected in summer 2027.

The approach is supported by the government-owned Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), which allows mission autonomy software to be integrated across different aircraft platforms and updated independently of the hardware.

Shield AI has said its award will support implementation of its Hivemind autonomy software across the CCA ecosystem. The company will focus on collaborative combat behaviours involving multiple autonomous aircraft operating together under human supervision.

Hivemind is currently flying aboard Anduril's YFQ-44A and is designed to enable uncrewed aircraft to sense, decide and act without relying on pre-programmed routes, while coordinating with other autonomous and crewed platforms.

General Atomics has also confirmed that its FQ-42A has entered production. The programme progressed from contract award to first flight in 15 months, with the prototype YFQ-42A completing its maiden flight in August 2025.

The FQ-42A is among the first aircraft to receive the Air Force's new FQ designation, combining the fighter classification with a designation identifying the platform as uncrewed.