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The US Air Force tested a setup where an F-22 Raptor pilot sent high-level tactical commands to Anduril's YFQ-44A Fury drone via a tactical data link while both aircraft flew out of Edwards Air Force Base. The drone's onboard autonomy software translated those directives into flight maneuvers and simulated combat tasks, while the human pilot retained decision-making control rather than flying the drone directly.
The U.S. Air Force conducted a flight test in which an F-22 Raptor pilot gave tactical commands to an Anduril YFQ-44A Fury drone, which translated them into autonomous flight maneuvers during simulated combat, according to The Defense Watch. The test is part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program aimed at pairing crewed fighters with autonomous drone wingmen.
Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works unveiled a full-scale model of Vectis, its uncrewed combat aircraft meant to fly alongside the F-35, at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference. The company is growing the program from one to five prototype vehicles and aims to fly the first one by the end of 2027.
Saab has unveiled the A3, a tailless, supersonic, double-delta-wing uncrewed combat aircraft concept designed to fly alongside its Gripen E fighters starting in the early 2030s. The company positions the A3 as a high-end 'peer-capable' companion rather than a low-cost attritable drone, and views it as a technological bridge toward Sweden's planned crewed fighter replacement in the 2040s.