The contracts cover both the physical air vehicles and the underlying mission autonomy software. The drone wingman concept, in which unmanned aircraft fly alongside and support crewed jets, represents one of the most consequential shifts in air combat doctrine in decades.
Anduril and General Atomics won the awards to build the air vehicles. On the autonomy side, Anduril, Shield AI, and Collins were separately tapped to develop the autonomy system, with six additional companies competing on the autonomy software. The aircraft are intended to operate alongside F-35s.
Anduril, a defense technology startup, winning alongside the established player General Atomics signals that the Pentagon is opening the door to non-traditional contractors on frontline combat systems. The Collaborative Combat Aircraft program carries the Increment 1 designation for this initial round of awards.
The selections mark the Air Force moving from concept to physical hardware on autonomous combat aircraft, a step the service framed as central to a major change in how crewed and uncrewed aircraft will fight together.
The real test will be whether the autonomy software can make life-or-death decisions in contested airspace, a question that a contract announcement does not answer.
The next milestones will come as the selected companies develop and deliver the air vehicles and autonomy systems, and as the six additional firms competing on autonomy software advance their work.
