The Netherlands and the United States Air Force have formalized a partnership on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, including plans to procure prototype systems as part of its ongoing development.
Building on a letter of intent signed in October 2025, the collaboration will focus on jointly advancing platform-agnostic, open-architecture autonomous technologies to improve data sharing and interoperability during combined operations.
As the first European participant in the CCA initiative, the Netherlands will work alongside the USAF to develop, test, and integrate “loyal wingman” drones in support of F-35 Lightning II operations. Dutch personnel will collaborate with the USAF’s Experimental Operations Unit (EOU), based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
The EOU acts as a central hub for refining operational concepts and advancing CCA autonomy through real-world experimentation, enabling continuous feedback between operators and developers.
The CCA program is focused on deploying autonomous or semi-autonomous drones designed to operate alongside crewed aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor. These “loyal wingmen” are intended to perform missions including strike, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare.
Prototype platforms in the program’s first phase—YFQ-42A from General Atomics and YFQ-44A from Anduril—are currently undergoing flight testing and early operational trials following their selection in 2024. Initial deployment is expected before the end of the decade.
