US Air Force to debut combat drones in large-scale exercise

The US Air Force will deploy its new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones in a large-scale combat exercise for the first time this December. The drones, specifically the General Atomics FQ-42A and the Anduril FQ-44A, are scheduled to participate in the Emerald Flag exercise at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

This event marks a transition from controlled flight testing to a large-force employment environment. The drones are expected to operate within an offensive counter-air scenario alongside fourth- and fifth-generation crewed combat aircraft. The exercise will feature the first live, end-to-end demonstration of the CCA kill chain, requiring the autonomous aircraft to integrate with complex communications, command, and control systems.

The Air Force is developing these two models in parallel to evaluate how autonomous aircraft can be integrated into existing military operations. Both prototypes have already undergone flight testing, with the FQ-42A flying in August 2025 and the FQ-44A following in October.