US Air Force moves Anduril FQ-44 combat drone into serial production

The U.S. Air Force has selected Anduril Industries to advance its semi‑autonomous FQ‑44 fighter drone into the production phase of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The contract provides an initial batch for testing, validation and eventual fielding, and creates a framework for future purchases of additional lots.

Anduril describes the FQ‑44, previously known as YFQ‑44A or Fury, as the first semi‑autonomous combat aircraft to enter serial production, a step achieved months ahead of schedule. The production line will operate at the Arsenal‑1 facility in Ohio, capable of delivering up to 150 units per year. The development timeline spans a prototype contract in April 2024, ground testing from April 2025, first flight in October 2025, and a production award in June 2026, which the company says is the fastest prototype‑to‑production path for a fighter in more than five decades.

The drone is designed for worldwide deployment, can operate from short runways, and offers a combat radius exceeding that of current crewed fighters. Tests have included inert air‑to‑air weapons, mid‑flight switches between two autonomy software suites, and ground‑handling exercises that a small crew could execute without the infrastructure of a large base.