The testing focuses on proving that mission software can be rapidly ported between platforms, creating what the Air Force describes as a competitive and adaptable ecosystem for future autonomous air combat systems. The service explains this validates a core principle of the new acquisition strategy: decoupling software from hardware through an open, modular architecture to accelerate innovation and avoid dependence on a single vendor – the so-called “vendor lock.”
“Verifying A-GRA across multiple partners is critical to our acquisition strategy,” said Col. Timothy Helfrich, Portfolio Acquisition executive for Fighters and Advanced Aircraft. “It proves that we are not locked into a single solution or a single vendor. We are instead building a competitive ecosystem where the best algorithms can be deployed rapidly to the warfighter on any A-GRA compliant platform, regardless of the vendor providing the algorithm.
The Air Force’s CCA concept envisions large numbers of uncrewed aircraft operating alongside crewed fighters such as the F-35 and the future F-47. Once known as “loyal wingmen,” these aircraft are now expected to perform missions ranging from reconnaissance and strike to electronic warfare and decoy operations. The service has previously noted it intends to field in the long term at least 1,000 CCAs in different configurations.
We’ve come a long way from “kick the tires and light the fires.” But 1,000 seems low for CCAs meant to be “attritable” when the piloted aircraft is at risk.