Collaborative Combat Aircraft flew in formation and executed air combat maneuvers for the first time, according to a recent announcement from the autonomy developer supporting the U.S. Air Force program.
Shield’s Hivemind autonomy software, which governs CCA flights, enabled multiple drones to operate in a multi-ship formation and perform beyond-visual-range counter-air tactics, the company said. The statement did not disclose how many aircraft took part or identify which platforms flew during the Oct. 26 exercise.
“We are excited that the aircraft and mission systems are reaching a level of integration to start showing what Hivemind can really do,” said Todd Wesley, vice president of Hivemind engineering at Shield, in the announcement.
According to the company, each flight generates data that feeds into a software release cycle to inform testing and fielding decisions. Wesley added that the combined Hivemind and aircraft software process is approaching the point where the Air Force can fly a sortie, update code overnight, and return to the air the next day.
He thanked Air Force operators, engineers, and test teams for building trust “on every flight.”
Collaborative Combat Aircraft timeline and funding
The demonstration arrives as the Air Force targets 500 combat-ready, semi-autonomous systems by 2032, within a planned 1,000-vehicle CCA fleet. For fiscal 2027, the service requested $996.5 million for procurement, $150 million in advanced procurement for the following year, and $1.37 billion for continued research and development, totaling $2.37 billion for the program.
The latest milestone follows an event last month in which an F-22 Raptor conducted airborne tactical command and in-flight control of a YFQ-44A, acting as a quarterback and issuing high-level directives to the Anduril-built CCA.
Industry moves around Collaborative Combat Aircraft
In parallel, Shield AI announced plans last week to acquire Echodyne in a $5.3 billion transaction to bolster its drone-warfare capabilities. The company said integrating Echodyne’s next-generation, solid-state radar systems would support expansion across unmanned systems.
The acquisition comes as other defense and aerospace firms, including those participating in major exercises such as the Coalition of the Willing exercise, continue to position themselves for a future built around networked, autonomous platforms.