Industry and USAF Strategy to Meet CCA Logistics Demand: Overcoming Challenges Together
The U.S. Air Force has announced the designation of its first uncrewed fighter aircraft, the YFQ-42 by General Atomics and the YFQ-44 by Anduril Industries, as part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. These drones, which were unveiled at the AFA Warfare Symposium on March 3, are envisioned to operate alongside manned fighters, with the objective of extending their operational range.
The Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. David W. Goldfein, revealed these alphanumeric designations for the two aircraft. Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Kunkel, the Air Force's director of force design, integration, and wargaming, emphasized that the ability to disperse CCA drones across various locations close to enemy lines would create multiple problems for adversaries, thereby requiring them to make difficult decisions regarding whether to target these dispersed assets or not.
However, Kunkel also acknowledged that dispersing these drones could create logistical inefficiencies due to the need to sustain these remote assets. To address this challenge, General Atomics designed its drone using components from the MQ-9 Reapers, ensuring a global infrastructure of parts already available for maintenance. On the other hand, Anduril Industries focused on simplicity and low maintenance costs, with virtual models facilitating easy access to all parts and minimizing the need for specialized tools.
To further enhance logistical efficiency, Kunkel mentioned thinking about how best to conduct logistics under attack by keeping as much of the logistical support away from areas that could be targeted. The Air Force is already utilizing MQ-9 drones to transport parts between bases when necessary. CCAs, in turn, could potentially be used to carry not just missiles and kinetics, but also sensitive equipment and spare parts.
In addition to these practical considerations, Kunkel highlighted the importance of training Airmen for CCAs and their potential logistics, with Air Education and Training Command working on solutions. The Experimental Operations Unit at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., is also testing these capabilities with warfighters to address any operational challenges that may arise.
Overall, the Air Force is working to improve the sustainability and efficiency of its unmanned fighter aircraft in dispersed locations to enhance the nation's air superiority capabilities. The integration of CCAs into formations led by manned fighters offers significant potential benefits and poses new logistical challenges that the Air Force is actively addressing.
- The YFQ-42, designed by General Atomics, and the YFQ-44 by Anduril Industries, will be integrated into the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, envisioned to operate in space, extending the operational range of manned fighters.
- General Atomics addressed logistical inefficiencies by using components from the MQ-9 Reapers in its CCA drone design, ensuring a global maintenance infrastructure, while Anduril Industries focused on simplicity and low maintenance costs.
- The Air Force is considering ways to conduct logistics under attack to keep logistical support away from targeted areas, using existing MQ-9 drones to transport parts between bases and potentially utilizing CCAs to carry not just missiles and kinetics, but also sensitive equipment and spare parts.
- To ensure efficient CCAs operation, the Air Force is training Airmen and testing capabilities at the Experimental Operations Unit at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., addressing operational challenges that may arise in warfare.
