Anduril’s YFQ-44A begins flight testing after 556 days, advancing U.S. Air Force autonomy efforts

Anduril's YFQ-44A Begins Flight Testing

Anduril has started flight testing of its YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), a semi-autonomous air platform developed with the US Air Force to enhance air superiority in contested environments.

Aircraft Capabilities

The YFQ-44A is designed to operate both independently and alongside crewed aircraft, using autonomy to improve survivability, lethality, and mission outcomes. Unlike remotely piloted aircraft, it manages mission execution, flight control, and throttle without needing real-time human input from the first flight.

“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,” said Jason Levin, SVP of Engineering, Air Dominance & Strike.

“Our aircraft is ushering in this new paradigm with incredible technical precision: it executes a mission plan on its own, manages flight control and throttle adjustment independent of human command, and returns to land at the push of a button,” Levin added.

Autonomous Software System

The YFQ-44A integrates a fully autonomous software system capable of processing combat data, identifying targets, executing commands in real time, and handling logistics and sustainment on the ground.

“In short, YFQ-44A’s autonomy is what makes it more than just a flying machine, but one that’s ready to fight,” Levin stated.

Summary

Anduril’s YFQ-44A advances US Air Force autonomy with semi-autonomous flight and mission execution, showcasing new precision in uncrewed combat aircraft technology.

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Defence Industry Europe — 2025-11-04