Loyal wingman programmes gather pace as US and European procurement plans take shape
YFQ-44A Fury aircraft, right, flies alongside an F-35 Lightning II. (Photo: US Air Force)
Northrop Grumman, Airbus and Anduril are positioning their uncrewed aerial vehicles for future collaborative combat aircraft contracts in a market that is forecast to exceed $36 billion.
As the US advances towards the next phase of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme, European countries are exploring their own requirements for autonomous combat aircraft, with cost, operational flexibility and technological sovereignty emerging as key considerations.
The global CCA market is projected to grow by 30% over the next decade, according to Shephard‘s Collaborative Combat Aircraft Special Report, with more than US$36 billion expected to be invested in programmes by 2035. The aim of these programmes is to field relatively low-cost aircraft capable of operating with varying levels of autonomy alongside crewed fighters.
While the US Air
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