More funding for the USAF’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme
Breaking Defense has reported that the Pentagon has submitted a reprogramming request to Capitol Hill requesting permission to move an additional US $150 million into the US Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme. This would be in addition to US $392 million previously appropriated, and represents a 40% increase. The reprogramming request must now be approved by the chairmen and ranking members of the four congressional defense committees.
The USAF has characterised the request to transfer additional funds as a “refinement” of the programme’s costs, and not as a cost increase. The official line is very much that there has been no actual cost growth, and it is widely acknowledged that the main challenge in developing and deplying autonomous collaborative combat aircraft platforms will lie in establishing the right balance between cost, capability and survivability.
The Air Force pointed out that: “The original estimates for FY24 were developed two years ago. Given the refinement of the program in the intervening years, the Air Force determined additional funds were required in FY24.”
The Pentagon noted that: “The increase is primarily due to the recently approved acquisition strategy, refined attributes for the production prototype and revised costs following receipt of proposal and contract award.”
In April, the US Air Force selected Anduril Industries and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) to build and test prototypes for the first ‘increment’ of its CCA programme. A second CCA increment is planned for FY25.
The additional funding will be used: “to conduct analyses, identify technology candidates, perform concept refinement studies, and design/build/test production representative test articles,” according to the request.
