The United States Air Force has unveiled its first officially designated uncrewed fighter aircraft under the highly ambitious Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program: the YFQ-42A, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, and the YFQ-44A, created by Anduril Industries.
Both aircraft have moved swiftly from paper concepts to reality and are now undergoing ground testing, with flight testing scheduled for the summer of 2025. The YFQ-42A, based on the XQ-67A demonstrator, is engineered by General Atomics with a focus on modular design and combat versatility. It features a stealthy fuselage with slender wings, a dorsal air intake, and V-tail configuration. Internally, it houses a weapons bay capable of carrying AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, positioning it as a credible threat in air-to-air combat. Its primary value lies in delivering “affordable mass” to combat formations, allowing for large-scale deployment without compromising pilot safety.
Meanwhile, the YFQ-44A, known internally as “Fury,” was initially designed by Blue Force Technologies and later developed by Anduril. It is a high-performance, jet-powered aircraft designed for survivability and speed, featuring swept trapezoidal wings, a cruciform tail, and a chin-mounted air inlet. Powered by a Williams FJ44-4M turbofan, it can operate at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and approach near-supersonic speeds. Its ability to perform 9 g maneuvers adds tactical agility in contested airspaces.