Air Force Protects CCA Drone Program from Government Shutdown

The United States Air Force has taken measures to protect its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone wingman program from the ongoing government shutdown. An official confirmed that there are currently no disruptions affecting the program, ensuring that critical test and development activities can continue without delay.

According to the Air Force, “Personnel supporting critical test and development activities were identified as excepted and returned from furlough to ensure continuity of operations and avoid any potential delay.” This proactive approach allows the CCA program to remain ahead of schedule, with flight testing proceeding as planned.

The announcement follows comments made by Palmer Luckey, founder of defense technology firm Anduril, who suggested that the shutdown would likely delay the first flight of the YFQ-44A drone, one of two prototypes under contract for the CCA initiative. However, Luckey later clarified his statement, acknowledging that while the shutdown could impact future schedules, there had not yet been any confirmed delays.

Originally, the YFQ-44A was slated for its inaugural flight this summer. Yet, Troy Meink, the Secretary of the Air Force, indicated that the maiden flight might take place around the middle of October 2023. The Air Force has not officially confirmed whether this timeline remains intact.

In a notable development, General Atomics successfully conducted a flight test of its YFQ-42A prototype in August 2023. Both Anduril and General Atomics are competing in the initial round of the CCA program, which involves integrating autonomy software provided by Shield AI and RTX, respectively.

Amid the government shutdown that began on October 1, 2023, the Department of Defense has prioritized certain operations to mitigate the impact on national security. These include activities at the U.S. Southern border and the Golden Dome missile defense program. Active-duty military personnel continue to report for duty, while a limited number of civilian employees remain exempt from furlough to support essential functions.

At this stage, it remains unclear which other programs might receive similar protections from the Air Force. Nevertheless, officials assert their capacity to onboard multiple contractors, including new entrants, into production during this initial phase of the CCA program. Awards for conceptual contracts related to the second round of the CCA are anticipated within the coming months.

As the situation unfolds, the Air Force’s commitment to advancing its drone capabilities highlights the importance of maintaining operational readiness, even in the face of government challenges.