Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)

Editors explore the U.S. Air Force's award of Collaborative Combat Aircraft production contracts to Anduril and General Atomics.

Leonardo and Baykar said they flew Leonardo’s M-346 aircraft closely networked with the Turkish drone maker’s Kizilelma collaborative combat aircraft.

Join Aviation Week's defense experts for coverage from Eurosatory, Europe's premier defense exhibition. This episode explores Shield AI's X-Bat pitch—which the company sees as more than a CCA—and developments with airlifters in Europe and the U.S.

Australia and the UK are studying the integration of a European air-to-air missile on the Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft (CCA).

As air vehicles move to production, the Air Force focuses on autonomy competition.

USAF selects Anduril and General Atomics for CCA production contracts while continuing autonomy system competition with three other firms.

Toulouse-based Aura Aero is close to launching a new CCA project, aiming to reach first flight with a demonstrator in 2028, CEO Jérémy Caussade says.

Honeywell expands F124 engine production for CCAs and develops SkyShot 1600 prototype under Air Force contract.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

U.S. and Australian fighter pilots will have the technical ability to take turns flying the same MQ-28, a Boeing official says.

A glitch that caused a YFQ-42 Dark Merlin aircraft to crash in April came from a newly designed, high-performance autopilot developed for the CCA prototype, GA-ASI President David Alexander tells Aviation Week.

Helsing unveiled an electronic attack version of the in-development CA-1 Europa collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), promising to have the jammer ready in 2031.

Airbus has shared plans to have an in-house developed system called the U760 Ravenstorm ready for delivery by 2032.

The unique requirements of collaborative combat aircraft will force engine-makers to adopt a different mindset for design, schedule and cost.

Partially as a result of their revolutionary nature, interest in CCAs continues to expand, with operators now putting funding into developing their own capabilities in this area.

The Bashi pilot vehicle interface is at the heart of the U.S. Air Force’s goal to introduce collaborative combat aircraft in operational service by the end of the decade.

Honda eVTOL flies; helping to avoid contrails; bio-based carbon fiber advances; Korea’s engine independence bid; and Airbus’ Canadian tech hub.

Boeing says it has wrapped up MQ-28 Ghost Bat CCA testing at the Point Mugu Sea Range over the Pacific Ocean.

The German market is an early proving ground for companies vying to equip European air forces with collaborative combat aircraft to augment crewed fighters.

South Korea has launched projects to develop a 4,500-lb. thrust-class high-bypass turbofan for collaborative combat aircraft and more-electric business jets.

GE Aerospace on May 19 revealed a new small turbofan design optimized for the cost profile of the emerging collaborative combat aircraft market.

The Dutch military explores penetrating ISR and satellite upgrades to enhance intelligence capabilities and address vulnerabilities in space systems.

Turkey has joined the small club of countries that have demonstrated autonomous collaborative platform operations between crewed and uncrewed aircraft.

Indonesia could become the first international customer for Baykar’s Kizilelma autonomous combat aircraft.

The U.S. Marine Corps plans to reshape its aviation branch with the arrival of autonomous collaborative combat aircraft by 2030.