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U.S. Air Force Moves Uncrewed 'Loyal Wingman' Jets Into Warfighter-Run Exercises

The late July 2026 Creech AFB drill lets operators shape tactics and gives AFOTEC rapid test data to guide near-term production decisions.

A U.S. Air Force YFQ-42A Dark Merlin aircraft assigned to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Experimental Operations Unit descends in the air before landing at Creech Air Force Base.
A U.S. Airman assigned to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Experimental Operations Unit refuels a YFQ-44A Fury aircraft assigned to the Experimental Operations Unit at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, July 21, 2026. (Image credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Vinh Phan)
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Overview

  • The Collaborative Combat Aircraft Experimental Operations Unit ran Agile Combat Employment sorties at Creech Air Force Base in late July 2026 to operate YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A prototypes in realistic, dispersed missions.
  • Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center teams observed the exercise using a new rapid operational testing approach so data from real warfighter runs can speed decisions on fielding and requirements.
  • The program moved from demonstrations to procurement when the Air Force awarded Increment 1 production contracts in June 2026 for about 150 CCAs, with officials planning to scale to several hundred or roughly 1,000 over time.
  • Testing this month included a live‑fire event where an Anduril YFQ-44A fired an AIM‑120, and exercise leaders emphasized that humans retain authority over weapons release as tactics and software are iterated.
  • The Creech event is being treated as a pathfinder for faster, modular acquisition and saw international observers present, giving partnered forces early exposure that could shape future interoperability.