The other CCA that flew first
General Atomics’ YFQ-42A was the trailblazer, flying on August 27, 2025, with the company later announcing a second aircraft in early November. The Air Force set up this head-to-head sprint in April 2024 when it selected Anduril and General Atomics for Increment 1, eliminating three major primes from funded competition but keeping the door open for future increments.
General Atomics YFQ-42A takes flight. Image Credit: General Atomics
Technical and operational aims
The wingman prototype is built to do several jobs. First, act as a sensor and shooter teammate, sharing targeting and electronic warfare duties with crewed fighters through Lattice-enabled autonomy. Second, soak up risk. The point is to field multiple jets that can press into contested airspace, confuse an adversary’s decision cycle, and trade at a cost that preserves manned fleets. Third, spiral fast. The software-centric architecture is meant to absorb new behaviors as quickly as you can swap apps on a phone, which is where Anduril stakes its edge. A good formation is like a jazz quartet, each player listening, adjusting, and giving space for the solo, and CCA wants to make that style of manned-unmanned teamwork routine.
What the test campaign has proved so far
The semi-autonomous profile on day one validated the control laws, basic flight envelope, and the autonomy stack’s integration with the vehicle management system. Air Force leadership called out the value of getting “hard data” early to shape final requirements, which suggests upcoming sorties will stretch endurance, envelope, sensor fusion, and, eventually, weapons integration.
What comes next
Near term, both industry teams will continue flight envelope expansion at government and vendor ranges, including test centers such as Edwards and Nellis. The Air Force plans to choose a production path in fiscal 2026, and Anduril says it is preparing to scale manufacturing in Ohio to meet demand if selected. Expect autonomy updates, teaming trials with frontline fighters, and progressive payload tests to dominate the next blocks of work.
Bottom line
The Air Force asked for speed, competition, and software first thinking. With YFQ-44A airborne, Anduril has put its marker down. The next rounds will decide who can turn early flight data into a reliable, scalable wingman that shows up in numbers.
The smart money rides on the team that treats code like a weapon system and learning as its fuel.
Anduril’s YFQ-44A Makes First Flight, Kicks Collaborative Combat Aircraft Effort Into High Gear
When Anduril’s YFQ-44A cleared the runway it did more than prove a prototype; it announced an era in which affordable, software-first wingmen will rewrite the rules of air combat.
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