F-22s Will be the First to Control Combat Unmanned Aircraft

F-22 stealth fighters will be the first type of aircraft in the US Air Force capable of controlling unmanned aircraft to be developed under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program.

This was reported by The War Zone.

It is reported that the US Air Force planned to begin installing control systems and other relevant modifications on the F-22 as early as the following fiscal year.

The Air Force’s budget request for fiscal year 2026 includes a new item dedicated to aircraft modifications to support the CCA. This section allocates just over $15 million for the Crewed Platform Integration program.

Of the $15 million allocated, more than $12.2 million will be used to purchase 142 tablets for control with cable sets. This means that the cost of one set for controlling drones is about $86,000. The number 142 corresponds to the exact number of combat F-22s currently in service.

It is currently unknown what communication system will be used between the F-22 and the CCA. It will likely be the secure Inter-Flight Data Link (IFDL) channel, which is already used for data exchange between F-22s.

The 2026 budget proposal also includes $870 million for the continued development of the CCA program. Two prototypes — YFQ-42A from General Atomics and YFQ-44A from Anduril — are under development as part of the first phase (Increment 1) of the CCA program.

It is planned to purchase between 100 and 150 CCA aircraft in the first phase, with a total of at least 1,000 UAVs to be procured in all future phases. The first models are expected to enter service by the end of the decade.

In early June, the 53rd Wing of the US Air Force officially deployed the first unmanned squadron from the Experimental Operations Unit. It will be responsible for testing and implementing unmanned escort aircraft (CCA).

The Experimental Operations Unit, which had been operating as a detachment since 2023, has been expanded to squadron level.

“This is a pivotal moment for our armed forces. The Experimental Operational Unit embodies our commitment to rapid innovation and to providing our military with the most advanced tools to dominate the future battlefield. They are ready to reduce risks in a simultaneous environment and deliver capabilities faster,” said Colonel Daniel J. Lehoski, commander of the 53rd Wing.

The unit will be integrated into the Virtual Warfare Center Operations Facility and the US Air Force Joint Integrated Test and Training Center Nellis (JITTC-N) to conduct realistic simulations and refine the intangible aspects of CCA concepts in a virtual environment. The unit also plans to conduct live flight experiments to validate simulation results and streamline tactics, techniques, and operation.