The U.S. Air Force and the Dutch Ministry of Defense have formalized a partner agreement for the procurement of unmanned fighter prototypes, loyal wingman drones being developed under the American Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. According to a service press release, the agreement reinforces the Netherlands' position as a key U.S. partner in the program.
The agreement provides for cooperation in the joint development of autonomous capabilities built on an open architecture, enabling seamless data sharing and participation in joint operations.
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The U.S. Air Force notes that Dutch military personnel will undergo CCA program training alongside their American counterparts within the Experimental Operations Unit (EOU), based at Nellis Air Force Base in the United States.
A significant benefit will be close collaboration with developers aimed at advancing the autonomy of the unmanned fighters, which are set to become a key component of future combat aviation — operating as partners alongside next-generation sixth-generation fighters.
The Netherlands has funded the production of two prototypes in total. As Air and Space Forces Magazine clarifies, the Air Force indicated that the Dutch may have ordered either two General Atomics YFQ-42As or two Anduril Industries YFQ-44As or one aircraft from each company.
As a reminder, the U.S. is expected to select a winner of the first phase of the CCA program within the coming months, with General Atomics and Anduril competing for the contract.
General Atomics has informally been considered the frontrunner, but the company suffered a notable setback earlier this month when a CCA loyal wingman drone crashed in what was effectively the program's first-ever accident after which all YFQ-42A flights were suspended.
The General Atomics and Anduril aircraft will represent the first generation of CCA-class drones. Both series were officially unveiled over a year ago, in March 2025.
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