The CCA: A force multiplier the IAF should build

Unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) are going to be essential for air superiority. Turkey has already built them but Israel has not even begun. Someone in the IAF should get on with it.

It was recently reported that Turkey’s “Kizilelma” unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) successfully struck a target aircraft with a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile (AAM). This was apparently the first time such a remarkable feat was ever accomplished by a CCA or “loyal wingman” drone. Making this event even more significant was the fact that the AAM employed had been developed in Turkey, as was the AESA radar used by the Kizilelma to detect and track the target.

Not surprisingly, many observers reacted to this development by recognizing Turkey’s ongoing successful efforts to achieve a high degree of military self sufficiency. Israel, in contrast, it’s been noted, doesn’t even have a CCA under development, despite its pressing need to break its dependency on the U.S. for military equipment.

People have to understand that the CCA is going to be an essential force multiplier for future air superiority fighters like the F-47. Basically, future pilots will be able to control any number of them for missions such as reconnaissance, suppression of enemy air defenses, jamming and even dog fighting against manned enemy fighters.

It’s important to note, that the CCAs will also be capable of conducting these missions autonomously, thereby reducing the work load of pilots. What we should be particularly aware of, though, is that pilots flying sophisticated 5th generation planes like the F-35, could probably be able to operate CCAs, as well. I hope people realize what this could mean for the IAF.

Israel definitely has the ability to produce a competitive CCA. IAI can build the airframe, BVR AAMs and ballistic missiles like the ER LORA are currently available and can easily be improved, while the all important AI systems needed by the CCAs to operate independently are clearly within our capabilities.

Assuming we had a force of CCAs available to augment our Air Force, what impact would they have on our ability to deliver a war winning first strike? Operating in conjunction with volleys of highly accurate hypersonic glide vehicles that would be targeting enemy air defenses, command control facilities and early warning radars, our CCAs would constitute a second wave that could either finish off any surviving enemy SAM batteries or be directed to target enemy ballistic missiles being readied for launch.

Clearly, the possibilities would be endless. Perhaps most important of all, the CCAs would provide a first strike scenario with the ability to both saturate a high value target as well as destroy many other secondary targets that we wouldn’t have the ability to hit because of our limited numbers of manned aircraft.

So, what is holding up our production of a CCA? It’s a good question because it isn’t because we lack the technical ability to build them. Indeed, when I presented some local aeronautical engineers with a design based on a modernized version of the Horton 229, they immediately assured me we could build it. Roughly the size of an F-16, this CCA would probably outclass most of its competitors, thereby providing the IAF not only with a highly effective long range force multiplier, but would also generate tremendous export sales.

Perhaps someone should point this out to the IAF command staff and order them to get on with it.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/418865