The U.S. Air Force and the Dutch Ministry of Defence partnered to develop prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). This agreement integrates the Netherlands into the Pentagon’s program to build autonomous drones that fly alongside crewed fighters.
Dutch military personnel will participate in testing and concept development for these autonomous systems. The collaboration focuses on creating open-architecture systems to ensure interoperability among NATO allies during coalition missions. This partnership aims to provide lower-cost combat mass for future aerial conflicts.
The U.S. Air Force expects to award an initial CCA design contract by the end of 2026. Current competitors for the program include General Atomics and Anduril Industries.