The U.S. Air Force plans to create independent squadrons for its future fleet of collaborative combat aircraft instead of adding the drone wingmen to already-existing squadrons of manned fighters.

Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, the nominee to be the service’s next chief of staff , told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing Thursday the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard also may stand up their own CCA squadrons, along with the active duty.

Collaborative combat aircraft are semi-autonomous drone wingmen that the Air Force wants to fly alongside manned fighters, such as the F-35 and the in-the-works F-47, a sixth-generation fighter that Boeing will build.

The Air Force wants CCAs to carry out strikes, conduct reconnaissance missions, jam enemy signals or ev

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