On October 31, 2025, Anduril, a prominent U.S. defense technology firm, revealed that its YFQ-44A 'Fury' stealth unmanned combat aircraft prototype had triumphantly accomplished its inaugural flight in California. This cutting-edge aircraft is designed without a cockpit, and it took a mere 556 days from the inception of its development to reach this significant milestone of its first flight.

During this maiden voyage, the 'Fury' operated in a semi-autonomous mode, setting it apart from traditional remotely piloted aircraft. Following this successful test, the U.S. Air Force confirmed that both contenders for Increment 1 of its 'Collaborative Combat Aircraft' (CCA) program—Anduril's YFQ-44A and General Atomics' YFQ-42A—had advanced to the actual flight - testing phase.

Anduril has outlined its next steps, which include expanding the flight envelope of the 'Fury,' integrating its weapons system (with the first live - fire test slated for 2026), coordinating autonomous missions among multiple aircraft, and conducting joint training exercises with manned combat aircraft.

The CCA program stands at the heart of the U.S. military's 'Next - Generation Air Dominance' system. The military has plans to acquire 100 - 150 unmanned aircraft initially and eventually build a massive fleet of over 1,000. These drones are set to work in tandem with manned fighters like the F - 35 and F - 15EX, as well as future sixth - generation fighters. By sharing sensor data, executing coordinated maneuvers, and even taking on high - risk attack missions, they are expected to substantially boost combat effectiveness.