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US Air Force to downselect for second batch of Collaborative Combat Aircraft next year; new MQ-9A Reaper replacement competition

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The Air Force expects a downselect for the second batch of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) next year, according to an Air Force official. Separately, a competition to replace the MQ-9A Reaper is expected to begin with a concept refinement stage early in the next fiscal year.

Discovered 2026-07-29T10:45:37.024240-07:00 | 2026-07-29T10:45:37.024240-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The CCA downselect schedule signals when competition winners may be positioned for follow-on development and procurement decisions.
  • A parallel, MQ-9A Reaper replacement competition entering concept refinement early next fiscal year indicates the Air Force’s near-term roadmap for evolving ISR and strike-capable remotely piloted/attritable systems.
  • For defense primes and autonomy/UAV suppliers, these milestones define the timing of requirements, risk reduction, and bid strategy across multiple unmanned programs.

Reported By

Defense One Breaking Defense 19fortyfive.com
Sources Tracked
3
First Seen
2026-07-29T10:45:37.024240-07:00
Latest Update
2026-07-29T11:04:43.745325-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

Hype groups these reports into one evolving story so you can compare coverage without losing the thread.

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