Air Force conducts tests of CCA ground control system prototypes

Summary

The US Air Force has completed an initial evaluation of portable Command and Control Enclave (C2E) prototypes intended to let ground operators manage Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the service’s semi-autonomous drones. Conducted at Springfield Air National Guard Base in Ohio with personnel from the 178th Wing, the demonstration first measured the physical mobility and size of the ground stations supplied by several unnamed vendors, then examined how readily each system could adapt its software and maintain connectivity under operational conditions.

CCA platforms are designed to operate alongside existing fifth-generation fighters and future manned aircraft, extending sensor reach and weapons capacity without direct remote piloting. Instead, they rely on onboard autonomy that human operators supervise either from a nearby cockpit or through compact ground systems such as C2E. The portable enclave is therefore positioned as one element of the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept, which disperses forces across austere locations in the Indo-Pacific theater.

The evaluation forms part of a deliberate acquisition model that separates airframe development, autonomy software, and command-and-control functions into distinct competitions. After selecting Anduril and General Atomics for the first increment of CCA airframes, the service plans to keep multiple vendors active in subsequent phases. Results from the C2E tests will shape the next prototyping round, which will focus on cloud integration and is expected to begin shortly. This modular approach allows the Air Force to refresh individual subsystems without locking the entire CCA enterprise to a single prime contractor.

Why it matters

This article provides critical insights into the US Air Force's acquisition and operational strategies for semi-autonomous drone swarms and ground control systems. It is highly relevant for Dutch and NATO defense technologists and strategists focusing on autonomous systems, edge computing, and interoperability in modern warfare.