Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Apr- 2026 -

24 April

Concepts of the uncrewed fighter aircraft YFQ-42A (bottom) and the YFQ-44A are pictured in artwork. The aircraft are designed to leverage autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments. (U.S. Air Force artwork courtesy of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. and Anduril Industries)

Netherlands, US Air Force Formalize Partnership on CCA Drone Wingmen

The Netherlands and the US Air Force have formalized a partnership on Collaborative Combat Aircraft, including plans to acquire prototypes as part of the program’s development.

20 April

Americas

Christine Casimiro

Pratt & Whitney Engine Powers Northrop Grumman’s YFQ-48A CCA Drone

Pratt & Whitney has supplied the engine for Northrop Grumman’s YFQ-48A Talon Blue drone, pitched for the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.

17 April

Americas

Christine Casimiro

USAF Conducts Experimental Tests of Anduril’s YFQ-44A CCA Drone

Anduril’s YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone has undergone US Air Force (USAF) experimental testing to refine its future integration and operational use.

7 April

Americas

Christine Casimiro

General Atomics’ Dark Merlin Drone Crashes During CCA Flight Test

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.’s drone prototype for the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program has crashed following a mishap after takeoff.

Feb- 2026 -

24 February

Air

Rojoef Manuel

General Atomics Names Loyal Wingman Prototype YFQ-42A ‘Dark Merlin’

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has selected “Dark Merlin” as the name for its YFQ-42A unmanned aerial system bid under the US Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.

24 February

Air

Inder Singh Bisht

GE, Kratos Secure US Air Force Contract for Expendable ‘Loyal Wingman’ Engine

The US Air Force has awarded a joint $12.4-million contract to GE Aerospace and Kratos to design an engine for Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

16 February

Americas

Anduril’s drone prototype for the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, designated YFQ-44A.

Christine Casimiro

USAF Picks Shield AI’s Hivemind Autonomy Software for CCA YFQ-44A

The US Air Force has selected Shield AI to supply its mission autonomy software for a Collaborative Combat Aircraft program drone prototype.

13 February

Americas

Three General Atomics unmanned aircraft lined up on a runway at a desert airfield, painted in U.S. Air Force markings.

Ethan M. Encarnacion

General Atomics’ Loyal Wingman Drone Demos Four Hours of Precision Autonomy

The YFQ-42A has taken another step toward operational maturity, completing a semi-autonomous flight test with an integrated autonomy system.

11 February

Americas

Christine Casimiro

USMC Picks GA-ASI YFQ-42A as Surrogate Testbed for ‘Loyal Wingman’ Effort

The US Marine Corps has selected General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. to provide its YFQ-42A drone as a surrogate testbed for evaluation under the service’s “loyal wingman” program.

Jan- 2026 -

9 January

Air

Akhsan Erido Elezhar

The US Marine Corps is Finally Getting Its Own Loyal Wingman Drone

XQ-58 Valkyrie is an unmanned aerial system developed by Kratos, equipped with modular payload bays, conventional takeoff and landing capability, and flexible runway operations.

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