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The CCA Experimental Operations Unit tested the uncrewed aircraft in Agile Combat Employment scenarios in a realistic operational environment at Creech AFB.

The U.S. Air Force is continuing testing with Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), this time at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The base is not new to operations with uncrewed aircraft, as it hosts the 432nd Wing with its MQ-9A Reapers and, notoriously, RQ-170 Sentinels.

The testing was conducted by the CCA Experimental Operations Unit (EOU), which the service established to accelerate Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) concepts and accelerate the entry into service of CCAs. The service says the exercise was designed with a primary goal of building the foundational tactics, techniques and procedures that will define how CCA are integrated into the force.



“Air superiority in today’s increasingly contested environments requires the rapid fielding of affordable mass,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach, emphasizing the strategic driver for the platform. “CCA are essential to this effort. By integrating uncrewed systems to fly alongside our Airmen, we extend reach and increase lethality.”

Notably, the operations at Creech AFB focused on Agile Combat Employment (ACE) in a realistic operational environment. The service further said that the EOU “generated multiple sorties demonstrating reliability and extended range; integrated with manned platforms in the local airspace to project power across distributed battlefields; and simulated scenarios that will inform future requirements for the platform.”

A U.S. Air Force YFQ-42A Dark Merlin aircraft assigned to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Experimental Operations Unit descends in the air before landing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, July 22, 2026. | Source: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jake Jacobsen

“This exercise was about getting the systems into the hands of the warfighter,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Jensen, Experimental Operations Unit commander. “We are focused on operating CCA outside of a traditional test environment so we can continue to learn, inform, and rapidly iterate.”

The photos released by the Air Force show that the CCA used for the exercise were both the YFQ-42 and the YFQ-44. According to the captions, the operations started on July 21.

The press release mentioned that members from the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC) observed the event, “as part of a new, rapid operational testing procedure.” Brigadier General Jesse Friedel, AFOTEC commander, explained that similar exercises allow to “gather and analyze data that aids in informed CCA fielding decisions well ahead of the normal process.”

Additionally, the photos show that members of the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force were also at Creech AFB as observers. In fact, in October 2025, the Netherlands joined the CCA program, with the U.S. Air Force granting “total access on all levels.”

A U.S. Airman assigned to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Experimental Operations Unit helps load an inert AIM-120 air-to-air missile onto a YFQ-44A Fury aircraft at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, July 21, 2026. | Source: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Renee Blundon

Collaborative Combat Aircraft

The Air Force is rapidly advancing the development of CCAs, with plans to begin deploying over 150 units in the next five years. These autonomous systems could take on a range of missions, from surveillance to direct combat, working as force multipliers in collaboration with manned platforms and taking on high-risk missions traditionally performed by manned fighters.

Unlike legacy fighters, CCAs feature modular designs, enabling rapid upgrades and streamlined maintenance. The modular design and open architecture, the latter becoming a staple in the design of modern military aircraft, allows to introduce new capabilities as they become available, allowing in turn to always field the latest technologies to keep an edge over rapidly evolving battlefields.

In early 2024, Anduril Industries and General Atomics were awarded contracts to design and test production-ready CCAs, marking a pivotal step in the program. Both companies are developing these unmanned aircraft to support both the upcoming NGAD fighters, as well as current F-35s and other manned aircraft, by sharing sensor data, executing coordinated maneuvers, and potentially carrying out combat roles.

In early 2025, the U.S. Air Force’s then Chief of Staff, General David Allvin, announced the official designation of the first two CCAs. The two aircraft by General Atomics and Anduril have been named YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively, marking the first use of the ‘Unmanned Fighter’ designation by the USAF.

A U.S. Air Force YFQ-44A Fury aircraft assigned to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Experimental Operations Unit, sits on the flight line during weapon loading procedures at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, July 21, 2026. | Source: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Renee Blundon

These two aircraft flew for the first time in August 2025 and October 2025, respectively. Since then, they have been involved in a series of tests to demonstrate the required capabilities, working in close partnership with the service.

The Air Force is planning to field a diverse fleet of over 1,000 CCAs, designed with modular configurations for weaponry, sensor capabilities, and rapid adaptability to mission needs. One notable advancement in 2024 was the first flight of the XQ-67A, a low-cost drone designed by General Atomics under the Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) program, which occurred in February 2024.

This platform, along with the earlier XQ-58A Valkyrie, demonstrates a “common chassis” concept—using shared components for various drone models to streamline production and reduce costs. This approach aims to provide a scalable, cost-effective solution for enhancing combat capacity without relying on high-cost crewed jets, which is essential given the Air Force’s budget constraints and strategic emphasis on distributed, resilient forces.