The U.S. Air Force announced the designation of two Mission Design Series within its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program today: the YFQ-42A (General Atomics) and the YFQ-44A (Anduril).
Representing the first in a new generation of uncrewed fighter aircraft, both will be crucial in securing air superiority for the Joint Force in future conflicts. These aircraft are designed to leverage autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments.
"Now we have two prototypes of Collaborative Combat Aircraft," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin. "They were only on paper less than a couple of years ago, and they are going to be ready to fly this summer."
The MDS designation provides a standardized framework for identifying and classifying these aircraft:
• Status Prefix: Y- Prototype (The "Y" will be dropped upon entering production)
• Basic Mission: F - Fighter
• Vehicle Type: Q - Unmanned Aircraft
• Design Number: 42 / 44
• Series: A - 1st Version
"For the first time in our history, we have a fighter designation in the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A," Allvin added. "It may be just symbolic, but we are telling the world we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare. It means collaborative combat aircraft, it means human-machine teaming. We are developing those capabilities thinking, 'mission first.'"
The Air Force will continue to work closely with its industry partners to mature the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A prototypes through rigorous testing and evaluation. The insights gained from these efforts will be crucial in shaping the future of the CCA program and solidifying the Air Force's position at the forefront of airpower innovation.
