Anduril's maiden flight of its YFQ-44A signals a fierce sprint to field AI-enabled wingmen, as the US Air Force races to plug a historic fighter shortfall it can't easily build its way out of.

This month, multiple media outlets reported that Anduril's YFQ-44A prototype drone, a contender in the US Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, has completed its maiden flight at a California test site, officials said, marking the second CCA vehicle to enter flight trials after General Atomics' YFQ-42A flew in August.

The semiautonomous aircraft, derived from technology acquired from Blue Force Technologies in 2023, is designed to fly alongside crewed fighters such as the F-22 and F-35, extending their reach and striking power while supporting missions ranging from strike and reconnaissance to electronic warfare.

US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the milestone provides critical performance data to shape requirements, reduce risk and accelerate delivery of AI-enabled wingmen capable of operating at scale.

Anduril executives highlighted the drone's autonomy, stressing it was not built for remote piloting but to execute mission plans, manage flight controls and land with minimal human oversight. The company plans to begin live weapons testing next year and prototype-scale production in 2026 at its new Arsenal-1 facility in Ohio.

The US Air Force aims to field at least 1,000 CCAs by decade's end, moving rapidly to develop teaming tactics and integration concepts at Edwards and Nellis Air Force Bases as part of its next-generation air dominance push.

The CCA program comes at a time when the US may be facing a massive fighter shortage, with ramping up production of manned fighters an increasingly unfeasible option to close the gap. To illustrate, an F-35 costs US$81 million in 2025, while each CCA is estimated to cost $25-30 million.