# Air Force Plans CCA Drone Sustainment

The U.S. Air Force is beginning to develop a sustainment framework for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to field 500 platforms by 2032. Anduril and General Atomics have been selected to produce aircraft for the first increment, while Shield AI and Collins Aerospace have been selected for mission autonomy capabilities; however, the sustainment framework and supporting supply chain remain undefined. The planning comes amid workforce vacancies and a stated $14 billion spare-parts shortfall across the Air Force sustainment enterprise. No open solicitation or contract value is identified, but the emerging support requirements may create future procurement opportunities.

- Contractors with capabilities in sustainment planning, parts and supplier readiness, and predictive maintenance may find relevant areas to position their offerings as the framework takes shape.
- The Air Force’s 500-platform objective and existing parts shortfall make supply-chain capacity and maintainability relevant considerations for companies seeking to support the program.
- Because no solicitation is currently identified, businesses should treat these as prospective opportunities rather than active bids; the signal does not specify a procurement schedule or contract scope.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** October 21, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Air Force (USAF)
- Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)

### Vendors
- Anduril (Selected aircraft producer for the first CCA increment)
- General Atomics (Selected aircraft producer for the first CCA increment)
- Shield AI (Selected mission autonomy provider)
- Collins Aerospace (Selected mission autonomy provider; RTX subsidiary)

### Sources
- [Air Force starting to game out sustainment framework for CCA drones | DefenseScoop](https://defensescoop.com/2026/10/21/air-force-cca-drones-sustainment-plan) - DefenseScoop