Through the rapid, iterative development and procurement of adaptable, cost-effective Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA ) drones, which are now viewed as essential for maintaining air superiority against near-peer adversaries, the US aims to revolutionize drone warfare.
According to The Warzone, US Air Force ( USAF ) Chief of Staff General David Allvin has recently stressed the need to change procurement practices to better support the CCA drone program.
The Warzone notes that the CCA, a vital part of the Next Generation Air Dominance ( NGAD ) program, aims to develop a new ship of robots that will work with crewed aircraft, especially in atmosphere- to- air combat operations.
According to the report, the software intends to purchase these robots through what are known as incremental development processes, with the first step consisting of designs from Anduril and General Atomics.
Allvin emphasized the value of purchasing robots that can be immediately replaced or updated to keep up with technological breakthroughs but are not designed to last for years.
This approach challenges the conventional “built to past” mentality, which frequently results in costly and less flexible systems. According to the Warzone record, the USAF’s plan includes creating modular robots that can be easily changed and upgraded as technology develops.
According to the Warzone review, the USAF wants to quickly create cost-effective combat drones to keep an edge in upcoming conflicts, especially when competing nations like China. It makes note of the importance of achieving this objective through the cost-effective and accelerated growth cycles, which are known as” quickness- to- ramp”.
The USAF is also facing financial difficulties and the need for significant investments in programs like the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ) program, which underscore the need to re-evaluate the service’s traditional procurement and development practices, according to the Warzone report.
The USAF’s fiscal year 2026 funds is anticipated to be strong, which will prompt a reassessment of its operational plans and a future emphasis on human-machine partnering. According to the Warzone report, the CCA program is a step toward innovative and inexpensive solutions that can adapt to the rapidly-evolving field of underwater combat.
The US’s complete embrace of drone swarms has been influenced by a number of military, functional, and strategic factors. At the military level, drone swarms may be deployed excessively, defensively or in support of staffed assets.
Andrew Hoehn and Thom Shanker claim in a June 2023 Defense News article that China may struggle to stop helicopter swarms, making them a viable option in tense areas to provide security and targeting help for different weapons systems in the area. They point out that China might choose to use expensive and sparse air defense systems to fight US drone flocks, which would cost them money.
Asia Times noted in May 2022 that drone swarms may work behind low- visibility guarded aircraft like the F- 35 and F- 22 to target Foreign naval vessels, aircraft and missile installations. The drones could also monitor manned aircraft, improving their sensor capabilities and preventing them from being detected by remaining electronically silent.
Drone swarms can use artificial intelligence ( AI ) and machine learning to observe targets from a variety of perspectives, compare various targeting data sets, and suggest the best strategy for engaging a particular target. Drone swarms can also be used as defensive screens over important infrastructure like airports to stop enemy capture via airborne assault.
At the operational level, drone swarms offer the promise of low maintenance, upgrade and production costs, coupled with the flexibility to undertake various missions.
Mark Gunzinger and Lukas Autenreid made the observation in a 2021 presentation to the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies that swarming drones only need a few hours of peacetime training operations and do n’t need expensive depot maintenance or maintenance.
Gunzinger and Lukas note that modular designs with interchangeable mission systems, wing leading edges, and internal and external weapon payloads could speed up the creation of multiple variations and allow for quick field reconfiguration between missions.
In terms of cost- effectiveness, Irving Lachow notes in a 2017 Bulletin of Atomic Scientists article that a 30- drone Low- Cost UAV Swarming Technology ( LOCUST ) swarm then cost just$ 500, 000 – less than half the price of the Harpoon anti- ship missile it is intended to replace.
In order to prepare for an invasion by China, the US might decide to use drone swarms in a cautious strategy in the Taiwan Strait. Some people believe China may already be able to effectively combat drone swarms, though.
This month, Asia Times reported that the US has developed a” Hellscape” strategy to deter a potential Chinese invasion for the Taiwan Strait.
To swarm the Taiwan Strait for a month and obstruct Chinese military movements, the plan calls for the deployment of several unmanned drones, submarines, surface vessels, and other undisclosed assets. This strategy would give the US and its partners time to develop a full military response.
In the first 90 days of an invasion, Taiwan would be most susceptible to defeat, according to reports. The self-governing island would most likely fall and be annexed by China without US intervention within that time frame.
However, the South China Morning Post (SCMP ) noted this month that China could counter the US Hellscape strategy, pointing out that China and the US are at par on drone swarm development.
The US developed its Hellscape strategy in response to China’s growing drone production capacity and US shipbuilding capabilities, according to the SCMP report.
Additionally, according to the report, China has the right to use drone swarms to fight US forces in the Taiwan Strait, and Washington may need to think about how to deal with potentially larger drone swarms than it can deploy. The report further states that China could attack its crucial bases in Guam, Okinawa, and beyond while the US can choose to deploy drone swarms in the Taiwan Strait.
Additionally, Asia Times reported this month that a potential Chinese military base in Cuba could be used as a staging ground for special operations, missile strikes against US bases, ships, and aircraft, and even sabotage against the US military and defense supply chains.
The US might be able to break the logic of its “extended deterrence” guarantees for Taiwan by launching an immediate attack on the US mainland.