The Air Force is seeking $216 million as part of the Administration’s $70 billion defense supplemental request. The service wants to replace three MC-130H Combat Talons that have been “lost during contingencies.” USAF plans to convert three existing C-130Hs into Talon special operations configuration and replace the standard cargo aircraft with three new C-130Js to maintain the current size of the tactical airlift fleet.
The Air Force is leaning toward a less-sophisticated autonomous aircraft in the second increment of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the services chief futurist said. He also suggested that the next increment of CCA may be air-launched, a la the "Rapid Dragon" experiments conducted by the service in recent years.