The US Air Force has tested the mobile C2E system designed for ground-based control of groups of advanced Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) autonomous drones. C2E stands for Command and Control Enclave.

The trials were conducted at Springfield Air National Guard Base with the participation of the Ohio National Guard’s 178th Wing. The system was tested in a simulated complex environment designed to replicate real combat conditions.

The primary objective was to evaluate the mobility of C2E and its ability to be rapidly deployed. The system is intended to be compact enough for quick transportation to an operational area and rapid setup for drone control. Specialists also tested the software and the reliability of communications.

US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Gregory Billett, one of the CCA program leaders, said support from the 178th Wing allowed developers and industry partners to focus on the system’s technical performance. According to him, the results provide a foundation for further integration and testing of C2E with CCA drones.

The US Air Force expects to receive its first autonomous CCA drones by 2029. A key feature of the concept is the ability to control these aircraft from mobile positions without relying on prepared permanent infrastructure.

This would allow the US Air Force to deploy and operate groups of autonomous drones without being tied to major air bases, reducing dependence on large permanent facilities in a particular region.