Anduril YFQ-44A Fury Flies With F-35s for 500 Drone Air Force Goal

Robotic wingmen developed by Anduril have completed flight tests alongside fifth-generation fighter jets to validate crewed-uncrewed teaming in combat aviation. The YFQ-44A Fury operates as a Collaborative Combat Aircraft designed to integrate with F-35 fighters to coordinate tactical operations between autonomous systems and human pilots.

The U.S. Air Force plans to deploy a fleet of at least 500 CCAs by 2032, according to Secretary Troy Meink. This program also includes Lockheed Martin's Vectis stealth drone, with the company building four additional prototypes to accelerate testing and validate production processes for the tailless airframe.