The US Air Force recently conducted a test at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where an F-22 Raptor pilot successfully commanded an autonomous YFQ-44A Fury drone during a simulated mission. The drone, developed by Anduril, received tactical mission updates via a data link and executed maneuvers independently through its onboard software.
This demonstration is part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) project, which aims to integrate low-cost, semi-autonomous drones with fifth and sixth-generation fighters. The Air Force plans to deploy 500 combat-ready semi-autonomous aircraft by 2032, with an ultimate goal of building a fleet of at least 1,000 collaborative drones.
The YFQ-44A Fury is one of the first two designs selected for the CCA program, alongside General Atomics' YFQ-42A. Both the Fury and the General Atomics Vengeance drone are scheduled to participate in the Emerald Flag exercise this December, marking their first involvement in large-scale force employment testing.
The US military has been advancing autonomous flight technology for years. In March 2023, the Air Force tested an AI-piloted F-16, and in April 2024, DARPA reported that the X-62A VISTA test aircraft engaged in real-world air combat maneuvers against a manned F-16 without requiring human intervention.
