PAS 2025 – CCA: American Force Multipliers on display

At the Paris Air Show General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) and Anduril exhibited respectively the full-scale models of their YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, the two competitors for the USAF Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme

The USAF Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme will see the development of a new generation of uncrewed fighter aircraft crucial in securing air superiority for the Joint Force in future conflicts. Two contenders have been down selected for the programme earlier this year (2025) to design, manufacture, and test the uncrewed aircraft for Increment 1 of the programme, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) with its YFQ-42A and Anduril YFQ-44A, both of which have entered ground testing ahead of anticipated first flights before the end of 2025. Both the have entered ground testing ahead of anticipated first flights in mid-2025 and the USAF has also announced Beale Air Force Base (AFB), California, as the operational CCA’s first operating base.

Both companies exhibited full-scale models of their CCAs at Le Bourget. The General Atomics CCA is based on the Gambit family and is similar to the XQ-67A UAV that flew last year as a prototype for the YFQ-42A. The Anduril YFQ-44A, named Fury, was originally designed by the Californian company Blue Force Technologies as an aggressor platform, initially called REDmedium to simulate high-end threats. Blue Force Technologies was acquired by Anduril in 2023. Its former programme manager, and now Anduril’s Senior Director, Air Dominance Systems, Andrew “Scar” Van Timmeren joined the company two years ago. He told EDR On-Line that Fury uses off-the shelf components including business jet powerplants to optimize performance and fuel economy, and modular composite components that can be produced in large numbers at low cost. The Fury can be configured for different missions using open-source architecture with the flexibility to integrate first and third-party sensors and payloads to support a variety of mission requirements.

Anduril has also announced that it will team up with German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall to produce European variants of several Anduril weapons systems, including the Fury uncrewed aircraft.

Photos by D. Oliver and P. Valpolini