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US Air Force drone fires live missile during landmark autonomous aircraft test

Human pilots remain in control despite growing drone autonomy capabilities

YFQ-44A advances America’s plans for future robotic fighter operations

The US Air Force has successfully tested a Collaborative Combat Aircraft firing a live AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, marking a major step for autonomous combat systems.

The YFQ-44A drone, developed by Anduril Industries, launched the weapon against a digital target over the Mojave Desert during the historic test.

The event moves the Air Force closer to deploying unmanned aircraft designed to support human pilots during future air operations.

AI wingman drone moves from carrying weapons to firing them

The missile launch followed earlier testing phases where engineers confirmed the aircraft could safely carry the weapon and maintain stable flight.

The drone first carried an inert version of the AMRAAM before validating the communication links required between the aircraft, weapon systems, and human operators.

Air Force officials said the test involved more than simply releasing a missile because the weapon successfully tracked the simulated target during the engagement.

General Ken Wilsbach described the event as an important development toward delivering Collaborative Combat Aircraft capabilities to military operators.

"It wasn’t just an AMRAAM that came off, it was tracking the target," Wilsbach said while discussing the test.

The Air Force has stressed that autonomous systems will not independently decide when to fire weapons, as human authorization remains required before any engagement.

The YFQ-44A, also known internally as Fury, is part of the first CCA development phase alongside General Atomics' YFQ-42A Dark Merlin.

These aircraft are designed to operate with crewed fighters such as the F-35 and F-22 by providing additional sensors, weapons, and operational support during missions.

The Air Force expects CCA platforms to perform multiple roles beyond missile carriage, including electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and other battlefield tasks.

Officials believe these aircraft could increase combat effectiveness by allowing pilots to manage several unmanned systems during complex operations.

Air Force expands autonomous aircraft program

The successful missile test comes after the Air Force approved both CCA designs to move toward production in June 2026.

Anduril, Shield AI, and Collins Aerospace are competing to provide autonomous software for the aircraft, while the service continues developing future versions through multiple program increments.

Air Force officials have not disclosed total program costs or production numbers for the first manufacturing phase.

However, budget documents show the service requested about $1.4 billion for CCA development and nearly $1 billion for procurement during fiscal 2027.

The Air Force estimates the drones have reached a cost goal of about one-third of an F-35A fighter, which has an average flyaway cost of around $83 million in its current production lot.

Future CCA designs may require greater range, speed, and electrical power, especially for potential operations in regions where long-range weapons threaten U.S. bases.

However, American lawmakers have argued that future systems will need the ability to deploy from the continental United States and reach distant combat areas.

Via Defence Blog | Breaking Defense