U.S. Air Force F-22 Fighter Jet Controls Anduril YFQ-44A Drone Flight | Aviation International News

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

F-22 Fighter Jet Controls Anduril YFQ-44A Drone Flight

Collaborative combat aircraft teaming builds on earlier tests

YFQ-44A drone in hangar, airman refuelling — A YFQ-44A aircraft assigned to the Experimental Operations Unit is refuelled at Nevada’s Creech Air Force Base on July 21. © USAF

By Charlotte Bailey • News Reporter

October 22, 2026

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has conducted work to control an airborne Anduril Industries YFQ-44A Fury collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) in flight. The trial took place earlier this month and involved a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.

In a statement issued on October 16, the USAF announced the fighter jet had “executed airborne tactical command and in-flight control” of the uncrewed aircraft. It explained that the YFQ-44A’s onboard autonomy system was able to interpret and execute directives from the F-22 in real time, “conducting dynamic flight manoeuvres and simulated combat tasks.”

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