The U.S. Air Force and Navy are collaborating on a "Collaborative Combat Aircraft" (CCA) initiative, focusing on developing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to act as "loyal wingmen" to manned fighters.
The U.S. Air Force is advancing its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program by integrating autonomous capabilities into older F-16 Fighting Falcons as part of the VENOM-AFT program.
As the United States and China accelerate their efforts to develop sixth-generation warplanes, the dynamics of global military competition enter a new, more complex era. China's revelation of a mockup for its proposed sixth-generation fighter in 2021 and the U.S.'s ambitious timeline to deploy its Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform by 2030 underscore a significant
China's efforts to conceptualize a sixth-generation fighter jet, as evidenced by social media teasers and concept art, demonstrate its commitment to closing the technological gap with Western military powers.