General Atomics Selected To Support U.S. Navy CCA Design Effort - Naval News

General Atomics Selected To Support U.S. Navy CCA Design Effort - Naval New

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General Atomics Wins Navy Contract for Carrier-Based Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Service Joins Multi-Company Race to Field Autonomous Drone Wingmen for Future Carrier Air Wings

SAN DIEGO, California – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has secured a contract from the U.S. Navy to develop conceptual designs for carrier-capable Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), marking a significant expansion of the company's role in developing next-generation autonomous combat systems for both the Air Force and Navy.

The announcement, made October 17, 2025, positions GA-ASI as one of four companies developing conceptual designs for the Navy's version of semi-autonomous jet fighters that will complement and enhance traditional human-piloted combat aircraft from aircraft carriers.

Multi-Contractor Competition

The Navy has awarded CCA conceptual design contracts to four major aerospace companies: Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, and Northrop Grumman, according to a Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons presentation reviewed by multiple defense publications. Additionally, Lockheed Martin is under contract to build the common control system for the drones, using its Skunk Works MDCX autonomy platform.

"We're honored by the vote of confidence from the U.S. Navy and we're eager to put what we've built to work for the future fleet," said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. "No one has more experience than we do with unmanned combat aircraft and we're leveraging that to help the Navy get this capability onto the flight deck fast."

Competitive Landscape: Strengths and Weaknesses

General Atomics: Proven Track Record and Speed to Market

General Atomics brings significant advantages to the Navy CCA competition, particularly its extensive operational experience with unmanned combat aircraft. GA-ASI President David Alexander highlighted the company's "30-year history" of being "at the forefront of rapidly advancing unmanned aircraft systems that support our warfighters."

The company's key strengths include:

• First to Flight: General Atomics' YFQ-42A became the first Air Force CCA to begin flight testing in August 2025, demonstrating the company's ability to rapidly move from concept to operational prototype.
• Carrier Operations Experience: GA-ASI has pioneered unmanned jet operations for more than 17 years, beginning with the MQ-20 Avenger in 2008, and has extensive experience working with carrier-based unmanned aircraft operations.
• Manufacturing Scale: GA-ASI operates a 5 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Poway, California, building more than 100 aircraft per year with over 1,200 units delivered to customers.
• Modular Design Philosophy: The company's Gambit Series concept enables rapid reconfiguration from a common core, potentially reducing costs and accelerating production.

Boeing: Naval Aviation Heritage with Mixed Results

Boeing offers deep naval aviation expertise but faces challenges in its recent unmanned programs:

Strengths:

• MQ-25 Stingray Experience: Boeing is advancing the MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based tanker program, with the third engineering development model undergoing ground tests and expected to fly before the end of 2025.
• MQ-28 Ghost Bat Development: Boeing developed the MQ-28 Ghost Bat stealth multirole unmanned combat aerial vehicle with the Royal Australian Air Force, demonstrating international collaboration capabilities.
• Carrier Integration Knowledge: Decades of experience with carrier-based aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet provides institutional knowledge of naval aviation requirements.

Weaknesses:

• Boeing was eliminated from the Air Force CCA Increment 1 competition along with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, losing to General Atomics and Anduril.
• The company acknowledged disappointment at not advancing in the Air Force program, though it stated it remains "undeterred in our commitment to providing next-generation autonomous combat aircraft."

Anduril: Silicon Valley Speed and Innovation

As a relative newcomer, Anduril brings fresh perspectives and rapid development capabilities:

Strengths:

• Autonomous Technology Focus: Anduril is pushing to make its YFQ-44A semiautonomous from first flight, potentially allowing it to "leapfrog" over parts of the testing process.
• Rapid Development: CEO Brian Schimpf praised the Air Force's "fast-moving, forward-looking approach" that aligns with Anduril's agile development philosophy.
• Counter-Drone Expertise: Anduril recently won an Army contract for counter-drone fire control systems, demonstrating its broader autonomous systems capabilities.

Challenges:

• Limited track record in naval aviation compared to established defense contractors
• The YFQ-44A had not yet achieved first flight as of September 2025, trailing General Atomics' YFQ-42A by several weeks.

Northrop Grumman: Stealth and Systems Integration

Northrop Grumman brings unique capabilities but limited recent unmanned combat aircraft experience:

Strengths:

• "Deep experience in naval aviation and advanced autonomy," according to the company's statement on the Navy CCA program.
• Stealth technology expertise from programs like the B-2 and B-21 bombers
• Systems integration experience with naval platforms

Weaknesses:

• Eliminated from the Air Force CCA Increment 1 competition despite being one of the initial five contractors.
• Less visible unmanned combat aircraft portfolio compared to General Atomics

General Atomics' Competitive Position

GA-ASI appears well-positioned in the Navy CCA competition due to several differentiating factors:

1. Proven Execution: Being first to fly with the YFQ-42A demonstrates the company's ability to deliver on aggressive timelines.

2. Cost-Effective Production: While the Air Force targets CCAs at $25-30 million each, the Navy seeks a lower $15 million price point – a target GA-ASI's modular approach and manufacturing scale could help achieve.

3. Carrier-Specific Experience: Recent demonstrations with the Mojave platform on HMS Prince of Wales and the Korean ship Dokdo provide practical carrier operations experience that competitors may lack.

4. Parallel Development: Unlike Boeing, which was eliminated from the Air Force program, GA-ASI remains actively engaged in both Air Force and Navy CCA efforts, allowing for technology and cost synergies.

Building on Air Force Success

GA-ASI's Navy CCA contract follows its selection to design and fly the U.S. Air Force's first CCA, the YFQ-42A, which became the first Air Force CCA to begin flight testing in August 2025. The YFQ-42A represents the first use of the 'Unmanned Fighter' designation by the USAF, marking what Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin called "a new chapter of aerial warfare."

General Atomics recently began flight testing of its YFQ-42A prototype at an unnamed location in California to evaluate the platform's "airworthiness, flight autonomy and mission system integration." Meanwhile, competitor Anduril's YFQ-44A is "within spitting distance" of its first flight, according to company officials.

Modular Design Approach

The Navy CCA designs will emphasize a modular approach to platform selection, capable of being rapidly reconfigured and upgraded to meet changing mission requirements, including operations on and from aircraft carriers. This approach supports the Navy's revolutionary acquisition strategy of smaller, frequent purchases that enable rapid technology insertion rather than traditional long-lifecycle programs.

At the UK's Farnborough Air Show in 2024, GA-ASI announced its company-developed concept for ship-based CCA operations, codenamed Gambit 5. GA-ASI's Gambit Series envisions multiple CCA variants rapidly reconfigured from a common Gambit Core, enabling substantial commonality for rapid and affordable production at scale.

Cost and Capability Targets

While the Air Force has priced its CCAs at around $25–30 million each, the Navy is targeting a lower figure, closer to $15 million per aircraft. The Navy is hoping to field "consumable" drones that would not require traditional long-term sustainment, with Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford explaining the service is "intentionally trying to avoid ACAT 1, 35-year lifecycle sustainment of a platform."

The Navy's CCA design will emphasize seamless coordination among manned fighters, uncrewed vehicles and support platforms; accommodate elevated risk profiles and reduce risk to crewed platforms; support and enhance fourth-and fifth-generation aircraft and complement sixth-generation aircraft; and maximize operational flexibility, cost efficiency and mission effectiveness.

Integration with F/A-XX Fighter Program

The Navy's CCA development is closely tied to its sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter program, which is expected to see a contractor selection soon. Boeing and Northrop Grumman are competing for the F/A-XX contract to design and build an aircraft that will ultimately replace the F/A-18 Super Hornets and E/A-18 Growlers, while complementing the F-35C Lightning II and the future CCA in the service's air wing.

The F/A-XX program received $750 million in funding acceleration and has entered the Department of Defense's Operational Test and Live Fire Evaluations, with the transition occurring between December 2024 and April 2025. The Senate Appropriations Committee's draft of fiscal 2026 defense spending legislation proposes $1.4 billion for F/A-XX.

Presidential and Pentagon Support

The Navy CCA contracts come as the White House and Pentagon push for increased drone manufacturing and operations across the military. In June 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for additional drone capacity across the government, specifically calling on the Pentagon "to procure, integrate and train using low-cost, high-performing drones manufactured in the United States."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth subsequently signed a memo in July pressing Pentagon and combatant command officials to move out on the effort, stating, "I am rescinding restrictive policies that hindered production and limited access to these vital technologies, unleashing the combined potential of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity."

Looking Forward

The Navy is hoping to field its first iteration of CCAs before 2030, according to Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford. The service's approach differs from the Air Force in several key ways, including the obvious requirement for carrier compatibility and a focus on lower-cost, more expendable platforms.

GA-ASI has developed more than two dozen different types of unmanned aircraft and delivered more than 1,200 units to customers, building more than 100 aircraft per year at its 5 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Poway, California. GA-ASI aircraft have amassed 9 million total flight hours and more than 50 GA-ASI aircraft are aloft around the world every minute of every day.

The Navy's entry into the CCA race alongside the Air Force represents a significant acceleration in the Department of Defense's push toward integrating autonomous systems into combat operations, with both services pursuing parallel but distinct paths toward fielding these revolutionary unmanned combat aircraft. For General Atomics, its combination of proven execution, manufacturing scale, and carrier operations experience positions it as a strong contender in what promises to be a transformative program for naval aviation.

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Sources

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