Central to NGAD is the deployment of at least 1,000 unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), designed to operate as "drone wingmen" alongside piloted jets. -These drones will enhance ...

Although NGAD aims to introduce a new stealth fighter alongside AI-enabled drone wingmen, recent statements from Air Force officials suggest a potential shift towards a "Digital Century Series ...

February 13 2025, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced its secretive Aerospace Projects Office ...

For instance, the vaunted “Loyal Wingman” drones, which can ride along with ... in their proposed Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter. Alas, it seems that the news out of Beijing ...

it does seem that the NGAD could result in far fewer manned fighters, supported by thousands of lower-cost drones.

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The Air Force has pushed for years to develop NGAD – envisioned as a “family of systems” including a sixth-generation crewed fighter, as well as drone wingmen known as collaborative combat ...