Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 4.0 inch
COLLABORATIVE COMBAT AIRCRAFT
The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program is a USAF initiative to develop and test unmanned and manned-unmanned aircraft teaming concepts that is considered broadly equivalent to a loyal wingman. The CCAs are part of the USAF’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which aims to maintain air superiority through a system-of-systems approach.
CCAs are intended to operate in collaborative teams with the next generation of manned combat aircraft, including sixth-generation fighters and bombers such as the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider. Unlike the conventional UCAVs, the CCA incorporates artificial intelligence (AI), denoted an “autonomy package”, increasing its survivability on the battlefield. It is still expected to cost much less than a manned aircraft with similar capabilities. The success of the CCA program may lessen the need for additional manned squadrons.
A CCA is a military drone with an onboard AI control system and capability to carry and deliver a significant military weapons load. Its AI system is envisaged as being significantly lighter and lower-cost than a human pilot with their associated life support systems, but offering comparable capability in flying the aircraft and in mission execution.
The principal application is to elevate the role of human pilots to mission commanders, leaving AIs to operate under their tactical control as high-skill operators of relatively low-cost robotic craft.
CCAs can perform other missions as well, as a sensor, a shooter, or a weapons carrier.
Although a CCA will be a fraction of the cost of a manned fighter, they would not be considered expendable or even vulnerable to attrition. A CCA would have sufficient intelligence and onboard defense systems to survive on the battlefield. They are described as playing perhaps “100 roles”: remotely controlled versions of targeting pods, electronic warfare pods or weapons carriers to provide additional sensors and munitions; to balance affordability and capability.
The price point of a CCA will determine how many types of missions a single airframe can perform, with more expensive designs able to be multirole aircraft, while cheaper designs could be modular to perform different tasks on different days which can afford to be lost in combat. Two increments are planned: increment 1 CCAs will have sensor and targeting systems to focus on carrying additional munitions for manned aircraft; increment 2 CCAs will have greater stealth and autonomy to perform missions including EW, SEAD, and potentially act as decoys. It’s possible two distinct solutions could emerge from this stage, one high end and “exquisite” and the other more basic and inexpensive oriented around a single mission. Service officials started out developing the increment 2 CCA as a high-end, stealthy platform, but wargames showing that large numbers of low-end aircraft would be more effective than small numbers of high-end versions in a simulated Pacific conflict influenced them to rethink their approach. The USAF is seeking CCAs with greater thrust than the current MQ-28 and the XQ-58.
AIR COMBAT COMMAND (USAF)
Lineage. Established as Tactical Air Command, and activated as a major command, on 21 Mar 1946. Reduced from major command status, and assigned to Continental Air Command as an operational command, on 1 Dec 1948. Returned to major command status on 1 Dec 1950. Inactivated on 1 Jun 1992. Consolidated (26 Sep 2016) with Air Combat Command, which was established, and activated on 1 Jun 1992.
Assignments. Army Air Forces, 21 Mar 1946; United States Air Force, 26 Sep 1947; Continental Air Command, 1 Dec 1948; Headquarters, United States Air Force, 1 Dec 1950-.
Major Components. Air Forces: First Air Force (later, First Air Force [ANG]; First Air Force [Air Forces Northern]): 6 Dec 1985-. Second Air Force: 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1993. Third Air Force: 21 Mar-1 Nov 1946. Eighth Air Force (later, Eighth Air Force [Air Forces Strategic]): 1 Jun 1992-1 Feb 2010. Ninth Air Force (later, Ninth Air Force [Air Forces Central]; United States Air Forces Central Command; Ninth Air Force [Air Forces Central]): 28 Mar 1946-1 Dec 1948; 1 Dec 1950-. Ninth Air Force (an organization with no relationship to the first Ninth Air Force): 5 Aug 2009-20 Aug 2020. Twelfth Air Force (later, Twelfth Air Force [Air Forces Southern]): 17 May 1946-1 Dec 1948; 1 Jan 1958-. Fifteenth Air Force: 20 Aug 20-. Sixteenth Air Force [Air Forces Cyber]: 11 Oct 2019-. Eighteenth Air Force: 28 Mar 1951-1 Jan 1958. Nineteenth Air Force: 8 Jul 1955-2 Jul 1973. Twentieth Air Force: 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1993. Twenty-Fourth Air Force [Air Forces Cyber]: 17 Jul 2018-11 Oct 2019. Twenty-Fifth Air Force (see below).
Centers: Air & Space Expeditionary Force: 1 Oct 2002-29 Aug 2006. Aerospace Command and Control & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (later, Air Force Command and Control & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; Global Cyberspace Integration; Air Force Command and Control Integration): 1 Aug 1997-30 Apr 2002; 15 Jun 2010-. Air Combat Command Acquisition Management Integration: 16 Sep 1999-. Air Force Command and Control Integration: 15 Jun 2010-. Air Force Contingency Supply Support Office (later, Air Force Contingency Supply Squadron; ACC Regional Supply Squadron; Combat Air Forces Logistics Support Center): 12 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1994; 1 Dec 1998-1 Apr 2008. Air Force Network Integration (later, Cyberspace Capabilities Center): 17 Jun 2018-. USAF Special Air Warfare Center (later, USAF Special Operations Force), 19 Apr 1962-1 Jul 1974. USAF Tactical fighter Weapons (later, USAF Weapons and Tactics; Air Warfare; USAF Warfare): 20 Mar 1968-. USAF Tactical Air Reconnaissance: 1 Feb 1963-30 Jun 1971.
Agencies: Air and Space Command and Control (later, Aerospace Command and Control; Aerospace Command and Control & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center; Air Force Command and Control & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center; Air Force Command and Control Integration Center): 1 Aug 1997-30 Apr 2002; 15 Jun 2010-. Air Intelligence (later, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency; Twenty-Fifth Air Force): 1 Feb 2001-8 Jun 2007; 29 Sep 2014-11 Oct 2019.
Groups: 480 Reconnaissance Technical Group (later, 480 Tactical Intelligence; 480 Intelligence): 15 Oct 1969-15 Jun 1974; 1 Aug 1982-30 Sep 1993; 25 Feb-2 Jun 2008; 1912 Computer Systems (later, Air Combat Command Computer Systems Squadron; Air Combat Command Communications Group; Air Combat Command Communications Support Squadron): 1 Jun 1992-. Air Combat Command (ACC) Logistics Support Group: 1 Jul 1994-16 Sep 1999.
Squadrons: Air Combat Command Air Operations Squadron: 1 Jun 1994-. 4444 Operations (later, Air Combat Command Training Support): 1 Jun 1992-. Air Combat Command Communications Support Squadron: 30 Nov 1990-. Air Combat Command Intelligence (later, Air Combat Command Combat Targeting and Intelligence Group; Air Force Targeting Center), 22 Apr 1996-17 Feb 2015. 4700 Air Defense (Support) Squadron (later, 4700 Operations Support; Air Combat Command Contract Programs; Air Combat Command Program Management; Air Combat Command Acquisition Management Integration Center): 1 Oct 1981-5 Dec 1985; 1 Oct 1987-30 Jun 1994; 16 Sep 1999-.
Band: 564 Army Air Forces Band (later, 564 Air Force Band; 564 Tactical Air Command Band; Tactical Air Command Band; Air Combat Command Heritage of America Band; United States Air Force Heritage of America Band): 21-27 Mar 1946; c. 29 Jun 1946-16 Feb 1949; c. 1 Aug 1950-21 Mar 1960; 1 Jul 1970-.
Stations. Tampa, FL, 21 Mar 1946; Langley Field (later, Langley AFB, JB Langley-Eustis), VA, 27 May 1946-.
Operations. During its first years, the command’s missions included interdiction, close air support, tactical reconnaissance, and troop carrier support for Army airborne forces. On 1 Dec 1948, Tactical Air Command (TAC) served as a subordinate command of Continental Air Command, but returned to major command status two years later, on 1 Dec 1950. After 1 Dec 1950, TAC organized, trained, and equipped forces to perform tactical air operations including counter-air, air interdiction, close air support, tactical air control, electronic warfare, and special operations. Troop carrier operations remained a TAC mission until Dec 1974, when tactical airlift transferred to Military Airlift Command. In Oct 1979, when Aerospace Defense Command was inactivated, TAC assumed the national air defense mission, in addition to its other missions. In 1983, TAC’s special operations mission was transferred to Military Airlift Command’s Twenty-Third Air Force, which later became Air Force Special Operations Command. In carrying out its mission, TAC participated with the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Marine Corps in developing doctrine, procedures, tactics, techniques, training and equipment for joint operations. TAC provided combat-ready USAF units to joint commands of the Department of Defense. Consolidated in 2016 with Air Combat Command which HQ USAF established to integrate most of the combat resources of Strategic Air Command with Tactical Air Command units into a single command, able to support and implement joint missions. ACC assumed control of all fighter resources based in the continental United States (CONUS), as well as all bombers, reconnaissance platforms, battle management resources, and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Additionally, some tankers and C-130s were assigned to ACC, primarily to its composite and reconnaissance wings. The Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission transferred to the command from Air Mobility Command (AMC) in Feb 1993. In another mission change, ACC transferred responsibility for the operational control of the ICBMs to the Air Force Space Command and F-15 and F-16 flying training resources to the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) in Jul 1993. Later in Oct 1993, CONUS C-130 airlift forces transferred into ACC while the command’s tanker resources transferred to AMC. The C-130 forces returned to AMC in Apr 1997. The CSAR mission transferred to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) in Oct 2003 only to return to ACC in Apr 2006. Air Combat Command also served as the Air Force component of the United States Atlantic Command (later, United States Joint Forces Command), and supported the Global War on Terrorism through its flying missions.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Grenada.
Decorations. Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards: 1 Jun 1984-31 May 1986; 1 Jun 1986-31 May 1988; 1 Jun 1988-31 May 1990; 1 Jun 1990-31 May 1992. 1 Sep 1992-31 Aug 1994; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2002; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006; 1 Jan 2009-31 Dec 2010.
Emblem. Approved on 6 Nov 1952; latest rendering, 16 Sep 2011.