Anduril YFQ-44 Fires Live Air-to-Air Missile in Landmark CCA Test
The test showed human-authorized, beyond-line-of-sight targeting as the Air Force pushes toward a fleet of about 1,000 semi-autonomous drones.
- On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, an Anduril YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft fired an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-range Air-to-Air Missile at a digital target over the Mojave Desert from Edwards Air Force Base, marking the first live-fire weapons employment for the program.
- The YFQ-44A Fury, designed by Anduril Industries as a 'robotic wingman,' operates semi-autonomously alongside crewed fighters like the F-35. The Air Force aims to field about 1,000 of these drones to add mass to its combat fleet at a cheaper price point than manned platforms.
- Following inert carriage evaluations earlier this year, the test validated the weapon employment sequence autonomously within pilot-defined parameters. Anduril's Lattice software received target information, and the drone fired only after a human operator formally tasked it to engage.
- Air Force Chief Gen. Ken Wilsbach called the test an 'important step in turning CCA into an operational capability.' Pentagon manager Gen. Dale White touted the advancement as proof of program maturity, confirming drones execute weapon employment autonomously within strict human-defined parameters.
- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, which received production contracts for CCA Increment 1 last month, plans to conduct a live-fire test with its YFQ-42A Dark Merlin later this year. The Air Force expects to select a primary provider next year.
22 Articles
22 Articles
US Air Force combat drone fires AIM-120 missile for first time
The US Air Force has fired a live air-to-air missile from a jet-powered combat drone for the first time, marking a major step in the development of uncrewed aircraft designed to fight alongside crewed warplanes. Anduril’s YFQ-44A fired an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile at a target in restricted airspace over California’s Mojave Desert, the Air Force said on July 15, 2026. The Air Force said the YFQ-44A carried out the targeting…
US Air Force fires first missile from Anduril loyal wingman drone
The U.S. Air Force has carried out its first missile launch from a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), an important step in developing semi-autonomous drones that can fly with piloted fighter jets. In the test, announced on June 15, 2026, the Anduril-built YFQ-44A fired an AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missile at a digital target over California’s Mojave Desert. This demonstration marks another milestone in the Air Force’s ongoing testing of …
(Seoul=Yonhap News) The autonomous combat aircraft (CCA) of U.S. defense contractor Anduril has successfully conducted its first air-to-air missile test launch.
Air Force completes first-ever CCA live-fire test with Anduril YFQ-44A
The U.S. Air Force recently conducted its first-ever live-fire test using the unmanned, semiautonomous aircraft the service has dubbed as its “loyal wingmen.”The Anduril-made YFQ-44A executed an end-to-end, beyond-line-of-sight strike against a simulated target during a live-fire test at Edwards Air Force Base, California, according to a company social media post Wednesday.The YFQ-44A opened fire on a digital target using an inert AIM-120, which…
YFQ-44A CCA Fires AIM-120 AMRAAM for the First Time
The U.S. Air Force started live-fire testing with the YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, firing an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile over the Mojave Desert. The U.S. Air Force has announced the beginning of the live-fire testing of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, with a YFQ-44A firing for the first time an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. The service says the weapon was launched at “a digital target in secluded airspace over the Mojave Desert.”…
Anduril YFQ-44 Fires Live Air-to-Air Missile in Landmark CCA Test
One of the Air Force’s developmental Collaborative Combat Aircraft fired a live missile in a recent test, marking a critical step forward in the development of the service’s fleet of semi-autonomous drone fighters. The Air Force said in a July 15 statement that an Anduril YFQ-44A drone fired an AIM-120 AMRAAM, or Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, at a digital target over the Mojave Desert in California. In its own social media post, And…
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