The New Era of Collaborative Combat Aircraft

The future of airpower pairs large numbers of autonomous uncrewed aircraft with the most advanced crewed fighters of today and tomorrow. These AI-enabled uncrewed aircraft systems are designed for low-cost mass production but will pose a significant threat, forcing adversaries to commit valuable resources to combat them – creating gaps in enemy defenses for high-end multi-mission crewed fighters to exploit. Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) will provide magazine depth and advanced battlespace surveillance, using low-observable features to evade detection while securely relaying findings to the front line. They can act on their own or in concert with the rest of the force.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is advancing this new era of air superiority with a bold new semi-autonomous platform system that is reshaping the way the U.S. and allied forces secure the battlespace: Gambit Series.

Unlike other proposed collaborative platforms, Gambit offers multiple aircraft models, each configured for demanding missions. The series includes variants for intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance (ISR), air-to-ground engagements, fighter training, stealthy combat reconnaissance, and carrier-based operations. Most importantly, they all have something in common.

The Gambit Core

Gambit starts with a core platform that encapsulates a single set of common hardware: landing gear, baseline avionics, chassis, and other essential functions. The Gambit Core accounts for roughly 70% of the price across variants to deliver economies of scale and increased interoperability while accelerating new variant development.

Gambit Core establishes a standardized baseline that allows variants to be easily configured with different engines, fuselages, wings or other system and component characteristics specific to mission needs.

Gambit 1 – Long-Endurance ISR

Gambit 1 is a nimble sensing platform optimized for long endurance. The aircraft can accompany other crewed or uncrewed aircraft at the leading edge of a strike formation, serving as the initial eyes and ears for the air group. The weight savings from high-aspect-ratio wings and a fuel-optimized engine allow the aircraft to spend more time patrolling a given airspace to provide early warning or surveillance.

Gambit 2 – Air-to-Air Combat Operations

Gambit 2 adds the provision for air-to-air weapons. The characteristic outer mold line means the aircraft has less endurance than the pure-play reconnaissance variant. However, the ability to hold advanced hostile aircraft at risk offsets the time it’s able to stay off station.

Gambit 3 – Advanced Trainer

Gambit 3 is optimized for a complex adversary air role. This aircraft supports sorties against some of the most capable systems, including U.S. integrated air defense systems and other 5th-generation tactical air assets — another way in which uncrewed autonomous aircraft offer reduced operations and sustainment costs for training warfighters for the fight ahead.

Gambit 4 – Stealth Combat Recon

Gambit 4 is combat reconnaissance focused with swept wings and no tail. This aircraft is optimized for specialized long-endurance missions, leveraging low-observable elements and other advanced systems to avoid enemy detection.

Gambit 5 – Carrier-Based Operations

Gambit 5 is the carrier-capable member of the collaborative aircraft series, designed to support the carrier air wing of tomorrow. Modular and reconfigurable to meet mission needs, this aircraft operates on and from aircraft carriers to enhance and support 4th- and 5th-generation crewed aircraft while complementing 6th-generation platforms, thereby maximizing operational flexibility, cost efficiency, and mission effectiveness.

Gambi 6 – Air-to-Ground Combat Operations

The Gambit 6 CCA works with both crewed and uncrewed aircraft to deliver advanced strike capabilities for air-to-ground missions. Designed for the global market, it leverages the most advanced autonomy and AI software along with a proven record of comprehensive weapon systems integration to bring affordable mass to the fight.