First Flight Tests Begin for Air Force’s Drone Wingmen

First flight tests begin for Air Force’s drone wingmen

The Air Force announced Thursday one of its prototype collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) — the General Atomics-made YFQ-42A — has taken its first flight.The flight test took place at an unidentified location in California, the service said. During the flight, the Air Force and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. collected data on how well it flies, its autonomous systems and how its mission systems integrate.David Alexander, president of …

Air Force’s drone wingman program takes flight - Breaking Defense

General Atomics’s YFQ-42A drone conducted its first flight for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. A separate drone built by Anduril is expected to fly soon.

CCA prototype built by GA-ASI flies for the first time

General Atomics' YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototype flew for the first time today, the Air Force announced, inching the service closer to teaming its manned platforms with fighter drones. “This milestone showcases what’s possible when innovative acquisition meets motivated industry,” service Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement. “In record time, CCA went from concept to flight -- proving we can deliver combat capability at speed…

General Atomics’ collaborative combat aircraft notches first flight

Competitor Anduril says their version will fly “soon.”

General Atomics begins flight tests for Air Force CCA drone program

The Air Force has kicked off the much-anticipated live flight testing phase for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, the service announced Wednesday. General Atomics recently began flight testing of its CCA Increment 1 prototype, dubbed the YFQ-42A, at an unnamed location in California to evaluate the platform’s “airworthiness, flight autonomy and mission system integration,” the Air Force said in a press release. The tests represent…

General Atomics' YFQ-42A Prototype in Flight. The U.S. pilots' "faithful companion" drone in flight. - Economic Scenarios

General Atomics ' YFQ-42A prototype combat drone, a significant advance in military aviation, has successfully completed its first flight . This drone