The Air Force has asked the National Aeronautics Association to consider the F-22 Combined Test Force at Edwards AFB, Calif., for the 2005 Collier Trophy. NAA traditionally announces the trophy winner in the spring.
The Collaborative Combat Aircraft will be operational in the late 2020s, several years before the Next-Generation Air Dominance family of systems, Air Force officials told the House Armed Services tactical aviation panel. The CCAs will first be “shooters,” then electronic warfare platforms, then sensors, in that order, they added.