USAF Conducts Experimental Sorties with YFQ-44A at Edwards AFB to Develop Combat Aircraft Tactics
The US Air Force (USAF) has conducted experimental sorties with the YFQ-44A collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The exercise, led by the Experimental Operations Unit (EOU), aimed to develop tactics, techniques, and procedures for operating CCAs in contested environments. USAF personnel managed pre- and post-flight checks, weapons loading, and aircraft tasking during the exercise. The YFQ-44A, developed by Anduril Industries, is part of the USAF's Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept, which involves dispersing aircraft and aircrew to complicate adversary targeting. The exercise follows the recent crash of a rival CCA prototype, highlighting the importance of developing reliable operational strategies. 
