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A YFQ-42A uncrewed aircraft has conducted flight testing in California under the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.
The aircraft, developed in partnership with General Atomics, has been undertaking the flight testing to collect data for continued evaluations of platform airworthiness, flight autonomy and mission system integration.
The program is designed to accelerate delivery of affordable, semi-autonomous aircraft in efforts to assist the USAF in fielding large quantities of modular, affordable and operationally relevant uncrewed aircraft designed to fly alongside crewed fifth and sixth-generation aircraft.
“This milestone showcases what’s possible when innovative acquisition meets motivated industry,” US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said.
“In record time, CCA went from concept to flight; proving we can deliver combat capability at speed when we clear barriers and align around the warfighter.”
At least one prototype platform has reportedly taken flight in less than two years from program launch under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, according to the US Department of Defense.
CCA is considered a key component of the Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems and is designed to represent a new model for software-defined, modular airpower.
The CCA includes vendor-led developmental testing, independent evaluations at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and operational assessments by the Experimental Operations Unit at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
“This is more Air Force in action,” US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin said.
“We’re not just moving fast; we’re learning fast. CCA will help us rethink the battlespace, extend reach, flexibility and lethality in combat operations, and optimise warfighter performance through human-machine teaming.”
