Anduril YFQ-44A completes second USAF exercise at Creech Air Force Base

Several weeks after Anduril officially unveiled the YFQ-44A in Ohio, the new combat drone has completed its second exercise with experimental units of the United States Air Force (USAF) at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The activity broadened the responsibilities assigned to operational personnel and further prepared the system for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) operations.

Experimental Operations Unit prepares the YFQ-44A

The exercise was led by the Experimental Operations Unit (EOU), which was established to integrate USAF operational personnel during the programme’s early stages. Its purpose is to test employment concepts, mission planning, logistics and sustainment before the CCA moves towards operational deployment.

The YFQ-44A expanded its role during the exercise

During this second exercise, EOU operators took on more responsibility across the different phases of each mission. Personnel controlled the aircraft from multiple locations, an approach intended to reduce staffing requirements and enable CCA operations from bases with limited infrastructure.

For the first time, operational users also supervised daily YFQ-44A mission-autonomy flights. This capability enabled tactics and manoeuvres associated with operational scenarios to be carried out, with the aim of assessing how the system performs in more demanding employment conditions.

The exercise also tested the operators’ ability to sustain a high tempo of air activity. Scheduled flight operations took place over one week, with several days involving more than one sortie, while personnel became increasingly familiar with the system.

The CCA programme moves towards operational capability

The second exercise built on the findings from the EOU’s first activity, held in April. On that occasion, operators took part for the first time in launching, recovering and sustaining the YFQ-44A, a step designed to move the programme from the prototype stage towards a combat capability.

The US Air Force regards trials involving operational users as a central element of the CCA programme. These exercises make it possible to develop and validate procedures before production FQ-44 aircraft are introduced on a larger scale.

Creech Air Force Base and future FQ-44 operations

Creech Air Force Base will play an important part in the programme’s next stages. It was there that the drone’s first functional tests were carried out last July, and thousands of sorties are also expected to be conducted with YFQ-44A prototypes and future semi-autonomous FQ-44 fighters. The base already has experience of unmanned aircraft operations, including through the 432nd Wing, which operates MQ-9A Reaper drones.

The new YFQ-44A combat drone is part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft concept, which aims to integrate uncrewed systems with crewed aircraft. The tests at Creech will help to further define the tactics, techniques and procedures required for its eventual incorporation into the USAF’s operational structure.