NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS) -- The Department of the Air Force officially named its newest Collaborative Combat Aircraft the FQ-42 Vengeance and FQ-44 Fury during Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink’s keynote address at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Sept. 14.
Revealing the official names was a natural next step for the CCA program as the Air Force modernizes the nation’s aerial combat fleet.
"Naming these aircraft is more than ceremonial, it connects the ingenuity and courage of our past with the cutting-edge capabilities our Airmen will command in future conflicts," Meink said. "Fury and Vengeance represent the future of integrated combat capability, designed to operate in tandem with our aircraft… to hold any target at risk, anywhere, any time."
Meink emphasized the service’s relentless focus on ensuring Airmen have necessary capabilities they will need for the future fight. The CCA program has delivered on that imperative, partnering with Air Combat Command’s Experimental Operations Unit to provide operational input into CCA development.
"The evolving strategic environment demands adaptive, affordable mass at scale,” Meink added. “CCA is in the hands of operators so they can help drive technical requirements and advance the platform at commercial speeds necessary to best support the Joint Force.”
The CCA program has embodied Department of War Acquisition Transformation initiatives to onboard the next generation of combat capability with speed.
“We cannot afford yesterday’s timelines for tomorrow’s threats,” said Gen. Dale White, director, Critical Major Weapon Systems for the Department of War. “CCA is an exemplar program that shattered traditional acquisition cycles by uniting operators, requirements owners, acquirers, and industry partners from day one. Doing so has cut through bureaucracy and moved this program from first flight to live munitions firing in just nine months — delivering lethal, adaptable combat mass to our warfighters years ahead of schedule.”
In June, the Air Force entered into production (Increment 1) for 150 Vengeance and Fury aircraft. The Air Force intends to have 500 combat-ready, semi-autonomous systems by 2032, with an overall fleet size of 1000 that will extend reach, awareness and survivability of American airpower in contested environments.