Collaborative Combat Aircraft program
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Apr- 2026 -7 AprilAmericas
General Atomics’ Dark Merlin Drone Crashes During CCA Flight Test
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.’s drone prototype for the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program has crashed following a mishap after takeoff.
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Feb- 2026 -24 FebruaryAir
General Atomics Names Loyal Wingman Prototype YFQ-42A ‘Dark Merlin’
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has selected “Dark Merlin” as the name for its YFQ-42A unmanned aerial system bid under the US Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.
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16 FebruaryAmericas
USAF Picks Shield AI’s Hivemind Autonomy Software for CCA YFQ-44A
The US Air Force has selected Shield AI to supply its mission autonomy software for a Collaborative Combat Aircraft program drone prototype.
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Dec- 2025 -29 DecemberAir
Northrop Grumman’s Talon Drone Gets ‘YFQ-48A’ US Air Force Designation
The US Air Force has designated Northrop Grumman’s Project Talon semi-autonomous system as the “YFQ-48A,” marking its formal entry into the service’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.
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8 DecemberAir
Saab, Airbus in Talks to Collaborate on Uncrewed Combat Aircraft
European defense giants Saab and Airbus are in talks to collaborate on unmanned combat aircraft technology to support piloted fighter jets, similar to the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).
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Oct- 2025 -21 OctoberAir
Spain Runs ‘First-of-Its-Kind’ AI Combat Cloud Trial in Europe
In a demonstration with the Spanish Air Force and Space Force, Indra took its Nimbus combat cloud solution to the skies, calling it Europe’s first steps in AI-driven collaborative combat.
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20 OctoberAir
Netherlands Joins US Drone Wingman Program
The Netherlands has joined the US Air Force's CCA program, which aims to enhance combat capabilities through manned-unmanned teaming.
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