The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that its Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the YFQ-42A prototype, is conducting flight testing in California.
The prototype, developed in partnership with General Atomics, was flown at a test location in California. According to the Air Force, the aircraft contributed data on platform airworthiness, flight autonomy, and mission system integration. The CCA effort is intended to deliver large numbers of modular, affordable, uncrewed aircraft designed to operate alongside fifth- and sixth-generation fighters.
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said: “This milestone showcases what’s possible when innovative acquisition meets motivated industry. 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.”
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin spoke on the programme’s experimental approach. “This is More Air Force in action. 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.”
The CCA program is part of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems and is structured to rely on multiple vendor designs, open-system architectures, and competitive development to reduce risk. The goal is to continuously iterate autonomy software and mission capabilities in order to field operationally relevant aircraft faster than through traditional acquisition models.
To accelerate delivery, the U.S. Air Force is conducting a “multi-faceted learning campaign.” The department stated this includes “rigorous vendor-led developmental testing, independent evaluations at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and operational assessments by the Experimental Operations Unit at Nellis AFB, Nevada.”
The department has already selected General Atomics and Anduril Industries to produce representative prototypes under the program. A competitive Increment 1 production decision is scheduled for fiscal year 2026.
According to the U.S. Air Force, the intent is for CCAs to enable rapid transition of combat power by teaming with crewed aircraft, enhancing readiness, and broadening the range of missions that can be executed at lower cost and higher scale.
