The Navy is seeking “uncrewed, modular, interoperable, interchangeable and versatile platforms” that can operate from carriers, according to a Naval Air Systems Command presentation reviewed by USNI News. A spokesperson for NAVAIR confirmed the contracts but declined to provide further details.
Boeing directed queries to the Navy, and representatives for Northrop Grumman did not immediately respond to USNI News. General Atomics did not confirm the contract, but spokesman C. Mark Brinkley stated: “The Navy has been pretty vocal about integrating uncrewed jets of different types and closely following the Air Force’s CCA efforts. It’s a smart move that buys down significant risk and leverages the substantial work and investments already underway.”
Anduril confirmed it had been contracted to undertake design work. “We are focused on delivering an aircraft built specifically to the Navy’s distinct needs, at rapid speed and formidable scale,” a company spokesperson said. Lockheed Martin also confirmed its role, stating: “Specifically, our Lockheed Martin Skunk Works MDCX autonomy platform is a program of record solution for the U.S. Navy’s MD-5 Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System.”
The service has been slower than the U.S. Air Force in adopting unmanned systems, partly due to limited carrier space. With delays in the long-range F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter and an ageing fleet of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, pressure is mounting to expand the carrier air wing’s range and capacity.
According to USNI News, CCAs are intended to fly alongside existing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and F-35C Lightning II fighters and may also integrate with future aircraft. Naval analyst Bryan Clark commented: “There’s a yawning gap in the carrier air wing that won’t be filled anytime soon. [CCAs] are a short-term solution.”
The Navy’s carrier air wing range has diminished over two decades of strike operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a potential conflict with China, the growing reach of Chinese guided missiles constrains carrier operations and demands longer-range aircraft.
After cancelling plans for a stealth strike drone following the X-47B’s successful 2013 carrier tests, the Navy shifted focus to the MQ-25A Stingray, an unmanned tanker built by Boeing, due to fly in 2026. However, progress on the Air Force’s CCA programme has increased the Navy’s interest in lower-cost, multi-role drones. “If I’m going to take a spot on the carrier, every spot is going to produce,” Clark said. “These CCAs now give me the ability to do multiple missions.”
The contracts come amid a broader U.S. government push to expand drone use. In June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Pentagon “to procure, integrate and train using low-cost, high-performing drones manufactured in the United States.” Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth followed with a July memo stating: “I am rescinding restrictive policies that hindered production and limited access to these vital technologies, unleashing the combined potential of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity. I am delegating authorities to procure and operate drones from the bureaucracy to our warfighters.”
Source: USNI News.
