General Atomics and Anduril are simultaneously testing their respective YFQ-42 and YFQ-44 aerial drones. Only one of the two will ultimately win the Air Force’s “Collaborative Combat Aircraft” contract.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) is now conducting flight tests with two autonomous prototypes of its YFQ-42A unmanned aerial system (UAS). It is one of the two drones selected by the United States Air Force last year as part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. After completing ground tests in the first half of this year, flight testing began at a California location in August.
The initial testing evaluated the platform’s “airworthiness, flight autonomy and mission system integration,” the Air Force previously announced.
GA-ASI released an image of the two prototypes on the flight line at an undisclosed location in a press release that also announced that the YFQ-42A would be presented at the International Fighter Conference in Rome, which kicked off on Tuesday. The unmanned aircraft was also featured on the conference’s homepage, which is hosted by the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force).
“The YFQ-42A is a revolutionary aircraft, and the fleet is in production and in the air today,” said David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI. “This isn’t a ‘wait and see’ moment. We’re flying. We’re delivering. And we’re advancing this future of combat aviation, the same way we have for more than three decades.”
GA-ASI was one of two companies, along with Anduril Industries, to be awarded a contract last year to continue developing CCA. The CCA, designed for affordability and scalability, aims to deliver at least 1,000 units by 2030. Operating as “loyal wingmen” drones to manned US aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II, the CCA will support manned fighters in roles like reconnaissance and decoy operations, with an emphasis on cost-effective mass production.
Anduril’s Competing YFQ-44A Drone Is Also Flying
The announcement that GA-ASI now has two operational prototypes follows the news that Anduril’s YFQ-44A has also begun flight testing, having taken to the sky for the first time last Friday.
“This milestone demonstrates how competition drives innovation and accelerates delivery,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement. “These flights are giving us the hard data we need to shape requirements, reduce risk, and ensure the CCA program delivers combat capability on a pace and scale that keeps us ahead of the threat.”
Anduril previously stated that the delays were related to ensuring that the YFQ-44A’s first flight would be semi-autonomous, rather than remotely piloted.
“Flight testing is where we prove to ourselves, to the Air Force, to our allies, and to our adversaries that these proclamations about game-changing technology go beyond words,” explained Dr. Jason Levin, Anduril’s senior vice president of engineering for air dominance and strike, in a company post on Friday.
“They’re real, and they are taking to the skies today,” Levin added. “The flight testing process is where we prove that our aircraft meets the mark in terms of speed, maneuverability, autonomy, stealth, range, weapons systems integration, and more. As YFQ-44A climbs higher, we’re proving that it doesn’t merely look like a fighter, but that it performs like one.”
About the Air Force’s “Collaborative Combat Aircraft” Program
Last year, the GA-ASI “Gambit” unmanned aerial system (UAS) was officially designated the YFQ-42A, and Anduril’s “Fury” received the designation YFQ-44A; both systems passed the Air Force’s critical design review stage. The two aerial drones were elected over competing offerings from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman.
The YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A previously completed ground tests, which focused on the respective prototypes’ propulsion systems, avionics, autonomy integration, and ground control interfaces. Those assessments were intended to validate performance and inform future design decisions before flight testing.
Each of the UAS have transitioned to the next phase of testing.
Production contacts are set to be awarded later this fiscal year, which began on October 1. The Air Force’s timeline calls for the CCA to enter service by 2030, with upwards of 1,000 of the loyal wingmen ready to support manned aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II and future F-47.
The CCA will support the manned fighters in various roles, including reconnaissance and decoy operations.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
