The US Air Force has taken another step toward fielding its next generation of uncrewed combat aircraft, completing an experimental exercise at Edwards Air Force Base with Anduril’s YFQ-44A test aircraft, which officials say will accelerate the rollout of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) to operational units.
The trials were conducted by the service’s Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) under US Air Combat Command, leading to a series of sorties using the YFQ‑44A test aircraft.
The event marked one of the earliest operator‑driven evaluations of the platform, and while the USAF did not provide the exact date of the exercise, according to a social media post by Anduril, it took place during the week of April 5.
The YFQ‑44A flew from Anduril’s Southern California test site to Edwards AFB, where the EOU conducted daily sorties using Anduril’s Menace-T command‑and‑control system, a ruggedized laptop‑based kit that allowed operations from a simulated forward operating base. The operators were able to upload mission plans, initiate autonomous taxi and takeoff, task the in-flight aircraft, and manage post-flight data.
Lt. Col. Matthew Jensen, commander of the EOU, said that the exercise was executed entirely by operational Airmen rather than by engineers or test pilots.
“Every sortie generated and flown was done with a warfighter… kicking the tires and controlling the prototypes,” he said, adding, "We are learning by doing, at a speed and risk tolerance accepted by the USAF’s most senior leaders, to ensure CCA is ready to operate and win in the most demanding combat environments."
In a post on X/Twitter, Anduril said that “the seamless” handoff validated early design decisions to prioritize autonomy and simplicity. The company made all taxi and flight tests semi-autonomous from the start, a choice that slowed early milestones but afterward allowed for accelerated operator adoption.
A new model for rapid fielding
Experimental testing of the YFQ-44A began less than two years after the prototype contract award and just six months after the first flight.
“We are not building semi-autonomous fighter aircraft simply because they’re cool. We are not moving fast solely because we like the challenge. We are building this capability at unprecedented speed because the CCA program is about delivering a real, credible operational capability, on the ramp and ready to go to war by the end of the decade – all in order to prevent a future conflict in the skies from ever taking place,” Mark Shushnar, VP of Autonomous Airpower, Anduril Industries, said.
According to a press release by the US Air Force, the EOU worked alongside Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)’s 412th Test Wing to refine tactics, logistics, and deployment procedures for the uncrewed aircraft in contested conditions
“By embedding the warfighter's voice as the driving force from the beginning, the unit forges the initial tactics, techniques, and procedures needed to ensure CCA is integrated and tactically viable for future conflict,” the release by the USAF stated.
As the Air Force’s designated unit for developing CCA employment concepts, the EOU is responsible for shaping the initial tactics, techniques, and procedures that will govern how crewed aircraft team with autonomous systems in future conflicts.
“Robust, real-world exercises are critical to identifying the gaps that need to be addressed before a capability is ready to be deployed. That’s why we’ve moved so quickly with YFQ-44A,” Shushnar said. “The faster we can put this aircraft into warfighters’ hands, the more time they will have to conduct the experimentation necessary to refine the capability, define the concepts of operation, build the trust, and establish the processes required to integrate it into the force.”
CCA is key component of the future
The CCA program is a key component of the USAF’s future force design, intended to distribute combat power, reduce risk to human pilots, and expand the reach of crewed aircraft that are intended to serve as force multipliers and expand the lethality of manned aircraft, such as the F-35 and Boeing’s F-47 fighter jet for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform that will replace the F-22 raptor.
The CCA program emphasizes human-machine teaming, allowing pilots to command multiple autonomous aircraft that can scout ahead, engage targets, and absorb enemy fire. CCAs offer a cost-effective means of expanding airpower, allowing militaries to deploy large numbers of capable aircraft without the logistical and human constraints of traditional fleets.
Their AI-driven autonomy enables rapid decision-making and mission adaptability, particularly in scenarios where communication may be degraded or denied. Moreover, by placing unmanned systems in high-risk roles, commanders can reduce the exposure of human pilots to hostile fire, thereby enhancing survivability and operational resilience.
The YFQ‑44A and related platforms will eventually support missions ranging from electronic warfare and surveillance to strike operations, depending on the needs of the battlespace.