U.S. Air Force adds drone-mimicking firm to adversary pool

The U.S. Air Force has added three small companies to a contract worth up to $5.4 billion for privately flown “Red Air” adversary aircraft and close air support training, including a firm that flies small planes made to mimic enemy drones and cruise missiles.

KestrelX of Driggs, Idaho, A2G International of Melbourne, Florida, and Fleet Adversary Support and Training of St. Augustine, Florida, each received a place on the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Combat Air Force Contracted Air Support program, the U.S. Department of War said. The Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, awarded the deals on Oct. 15 after a competition in which three offers were received. Only $3,000 was obligated at signing, with money to flow later through individual task orders.

Under the program, private companies supply aircraft and pilots that play the enemy, or Red Air, against U.S. fighter crews in training, and fly close air support sorties so joint terminal attack controllers on the ground can practice calling in airstrikes. Work will take place across the continental United States through Oct. 8, 2029.

The new awards carry the same $5.4 billion ceiling and a nearly identical end date as the second Combat Air Force Contracted Air Support contract, which the U.S. Air Force awarded in September 2024 to eight established adversary air companies, including Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, Draken International, Top Aces and Tactical Air Support. Those firms compete with one another for task orders under the vehicle, and the original version, awarded in 2019, had a $6.4 billion ceiling.

KestrelX brings a different kind of aircraft to that pool. The company, founded by former U.S. Navy fighter and test pilot Don Moseley, flies small jets and light propeller planes modified to replicate drones and cruise missiles, and it has played those threats in exercises such as Northern Strike in Michigan. Last month, the U.S. Navy hired KestrelX under a contract worth up to $9.99 million to supply low-observable target aircraft and engineering support for training exercises.

A2G International describes itself as an operator of manned and unmanned aircraft that provides airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services to U.S. and foreign government customers.

Contracted Red Air grew as the U.S. Air Force ran short of its own aggressor aircraft and did not want to tie up front-line fighters, particularly F-35s, playing the enemy in training. A 2021 Government Accountability Office report found that the U.S. Air Force planned for adversary air contracts to serve as a bridge, with their use expected to phase out around 2030 as the service builds up its own aggressor squadrons and explores new crewed and uncrewed adversary aircraft.

Each of the three new companies will now be able to compete for task orders under the contract through October 2029.