Hegseth ordered the Army secretary to cut programs, reduce the number of general officers in the ranks and consolidate offices, commands and headquarters.
The service wants CCAs to fly alongside aircraft like the F-35 and F-47, and autonomously carry out missions like airstrikes, recon and serving as decoy.
It's a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the group.