Northrop to Test Upgraded Combat Drone in 2025
Northrop Grumman is preparing to flight-test an upgraded version of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) offering sometime in 2025, according to a recent report titled “Northrop Grumman to Fly New, Improved CCA Offering Next Year,” published by Defense One. The news underscores the defense contractor’s continued push to refine its autonomous aircraft capabilities as the U.S. Air Force accelerates its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative.
The upcoming demonstration is part of the Air Force’s broader plan to deploy a fleet of cost-effective, unmanned combat drones that can fly alongside piloted fighter jets, sharing tasks ranging from surveillance to engaging enemy threats. Northrop’s new design aims to be affordable, modular, and capable of being updated more frequently than traditional fighter platforms.
According to Tom Jones, president of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, the revised CCA prototype incorporates lessons drawn from previous flight tests. “We’ve learned a lot about how to do autonomy, and to operate in highly contested airspace,” Jones told Defense One. The company is currently integrating advanced payloads and new sensors into the aircraft, with the goal of achieving a higher degree of adaptability and mission flexibility.
While specific technical details of the upgraded drone remain classified, the aircraft is expected to demonstrate key capabilities that align with the Air Force’s emerging concept of human-machine teaming. The Pentagon envisions fielding as many as 1,000 CCAs to augment fewer than 200 sixth-generation manned fighters, significantly multiplying operational reach and deterrence power.
Northrop Grumman is one of several defense giants participating in the CCA program’s competitive development phase. Lockheed Martin and Boeing have also committed substantial resources toward autonomous systems aimed at meeting Air Force requirements. As each vendor prepares for further testing, the Air Force is expected to downselect its CCA partners by late 2025 or early 2026, setting the stage for scaled production.
The urgency surrounding the CCA initiative reflects shifting strategic imperatives, particularly in light of potential conflicts in the Indo-Pacific. Senior defense officials have emphasized the need to accelerate the integration of autonomous assets into frontline operations, citing their potential to operate with lower risk and reduced cost in high-threat environments.
Should Northrop’s updated platform demonstrate the agility and performance the Air Force is seeking, it may strengthen the contractor’s position in what is shaping up to be one of the most consequential military aviation procurements of the coming decade. The outcome will not only impact the future force composition of the U.S. Air Force but also help define the evolving role of artificial intelligence and autonomy in 21st-century warfare.
