Collins Aerospace to Accelerate Mission Autonomy Software for the U.S. Air Force

The United States Air Force on June 17, 2026, selected RTX Collins Aerospace, a business of RTX, as one of three vendors to receive a competitive production award for mission autonomy software under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Increment 1 program. Collins will deliver its” Sidekick” mission autonomy software, designed to support the Air Force's vision for human-machine teaming and future air superiority.

Collins was selected alongside Anduril and Shield AI for the production option, according to the Air Force, based on their ability to meet demanding schedule and affordability requirements.

The remaining three vendors in the broader baseline contract pool, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, were not awarded production options at this stage.

"Mission autonomy is the cornerstone of the CCA concept, and leveraging a competitive, multi-vendor environment ensures we capture the latest technology," said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. "This approach guarantees our Airmen are equipped with state-of-the-art capabilities today but keeps the door open for the breakthroughs necessary to maintain air superiority."