F-22 Pilot Controls YFQ-44A Fury Fighter Drone in Flight for the First Time

The U.S. Air Force has tested controlling a YFQ-44A Fury unmanned fighter aircraft directly from the cockpit of a fifth-generation F-22 Raptor for the first time.

The U.S. Air Force reported the development.

The test took place in October 2026 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Both aircraft took off to perform a joint flight mission.

During the demonstration, the F-22 pilot transmitted tactical instructions and a flight mission plan to the drone through a secure data link.

The YFQ-44A’s onboard autonomous control software independently interpreted the commands and executed them in real time, maneuvering the aircraft and carrying out simulated combat tasks.

The Anduril representative told The War Zone that this was the first test in which an F-22 directly controlled a YFQ-44A Fury prototype in flight.

The U.S. Air Force plans to eventually enable a single aircraft to control several of these platforms simultaneously.
The service plans to have 500 systems by 2032, with a total fleet of 1,000 units.

In July 2025, the U.S. Air Force said F-22 fighters would be the first to receive equipment for controlling unmanned wingmen under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program.

Data gathered during the test will be used to further improve the software, integrate autonomous systems, and develop concepts for coordinated operations involving crewed and uncrewed aircraft.

FQ-44 Fury Unmanned Fighter Aircraft

U.S. company Anduril Industries developed the YFQ-44A Fury under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, which aims to develop relatively inexpensive, semiautonomous combat aircraft that operate alongside crewed fighter jets. The FQ-44 Fury is designed for air combat, reconnaissance, and strike missions.

In July, Anduril rolled out the first production FQ-44A at its new Arsenal-1 facility in Ohio.

In September, the U.S. Air Force began independently operating the drones after receiving the first aircraft.

The aircraft has already demonstrated the use of an AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile. Aerial bombs and cruise missiles have also been integrated onto the drone, expanding its ability to strike ground targets.