The United States Air Force has officially designated its first unmanned fighter aircraft.
Announced on March 5, the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has introduced two prototypes: the General Atomics YFQ-42A and the Anduril YFQ-44, internally named “Fury”. These aircraft, designed to operate autonomously and alongside crewed fighter jets, represent a step forward in securing air superiority in future conflicts.
“For the first time in our history, we have a fighter designation in the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin. “It may be just symbolic, but we are telling the world we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare. It means collaborative combat aircraft, it means human-machine teaming. We are developing those capabilities thinking, ‘mission first.’”
The new designations follow the Air Force’s Mission Design Series (MDS) classification system. The “Y” prefix denotes prototype status, the “F” signifies a fighter mission, and the “Q” identifies them as unmanned aircraft. These aircraft are expected to play a critical role in future air combat, leveraging advanced autonomous capabilities to counter enemy threats in contested environments.
Gen. Allvin highlighted the rapid development of these aircraft. “Now we have two prototypes of Collaborative Combat Aircraft,” he stated. “They were only on paper less than a couple of years ago, and they are going to be ready to fly this summer.”
The Air Force plans to advance the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A prototypes through rigorous testing and evaluation. These efforts will help refine their operational capabilities and solidify the role of uncrewed fighters in modern warfare. The service continues to collaborate with industry partners to develop these aircraft, ensuring they meet the evolving demands of future battlefields.
The introduction of the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A signals a shift toward integrating autonomous systems into combat missions. As the program progresses, these aircraft are expected to enhance the Air Force’s ability to project power and adapt to emerging threats in increasingly complex operational environments.
