US and Japan Forge Alliance for Next-Gen Drone: Collaborative Combat Aircraft Project Takes Flight

Defense News ,US & Japan :- The US Secretary of the Air Force, Frank Kendall, has announced a strategic partnership with Japan for a groundbreaking next-generation drone project. The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative, exclusively developed by US contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Anduril, and General Atomics, aims to enhance performance incrementally over time.

Kendall emphasized the program's focus on maturing technology and advancing it in successive stages. The CCA, an unmanned aircraft, will operate alongside manned aircraft for diverse missions such as electronic warfare, air defense suppression, and as an additional weapons bay.

This initiative serves as a risk-free approach to counter China's integrated air defense system architecture during potential conflicts. The plan envisions the induction of around 1,000 CCAs by the end of the decade.

The collaboration extends beyond hardware, as the project builds upon a recently signed US-Japan joint research agreement. This agreement aims to merge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning with advanced unmanned air vehicles, solidifying the foundation for the innovative aircraft.

Furthermore, the CCA will be designed to fly alongside Japan's next-generation fighter aircraft, a joint venture with the UK and Italy. Kendall expressed optimism about the technical capabilities Japan brings to the collaboration, highlighting the potential for mutual benefits through expanded cooperation in technology beyond the current scope.

As the two nations embark on this cutting-edge venture, the US-Japan AI Agreement lays the groundwork for a collaborative future in the development of advanced unmanned aerial systems.