The US Air Force has brought its first two Collaborative Combat Aircraft to Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, with Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury and General Atomics’ YFQ-42A Vengeance entering operational experimentation under Air Combat Command. The aircraft are now being evaluated by the Experimental Operations Unit as the service begins testing how uncrewed fighters can operate alongside crewed aircraft in contested environments.
Anduril delivered the YFQ-44A to the unit in August, while General Atomics delivered the YFQ-42A on 18 September. The programme is examining tactics, training, sustainment, manpower and infrastructure ahead of broader fielding. Air Force operators are also assessing collaborative control concepts and how the aircraft could support Agile Combat Employment from dispersed and austere locations.
The step moves the CCA effort from development into operational experimentation and gives the service its first chance to work with the two aircraft in an operational setting. The testing is aimed at shaping future human-machine teaming for large-scale combat aviation, as the Air Force prepares for eventual fleet expansion.