Engineering:Anduril YFQ-44
| YFQ-44 | |
|---|---|
 YFQ-44 in a ground test facility | |
| General information | |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Anduril Industries |
| Management and usage | United States Air Force |
| History | |
| First flight | 31 October 2025[1] |
The Anduril YFQ-44, internally named "Fury", is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) currently under development by Anduril Industries. The aircraft is one of the winning designs for Increment I of the United States Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program and is intended to augment crewed fighter aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning, and the planned Next Generation Air Dominance fighter for air-to-air missions through manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T).
Development and design
The YFQ-44 was originally designed by Blue Force Technologies as an aggressor platform, initially called "Grackle" before being renamed "REDmedium" and eventually "Fury", to simulate high-end threats.[2] Blue Force Technologies was acquired by Anduril in 2023, and the Fury design was adapted as a submission for the U.S. Air Force's (USAF) CCA program.[3][4][5] The design was eventually selected as one of the two winners of the Increment I CCA alongside the General Atomics YFQ-42.[6]
The Fury's design as of 2023 is a fighter-like UCAV that is approximately half the dimensions of an F-16 Fighting Falcon. Its configuration consists of swept trapezoidal wings, chin-mounted inlet, a cruciform tail arrangement with stabilators and a single vertical stabilizer, and weapons mounted on external hardpoints. The aircraft is designed to fly at up to 50,000 feet (15,200 m) and Mach 0.95, and capable of pulling a maximum of 9 g, while sustaining up to 4.5 g at about 20,000 feet (6,100 m). The Fury is to be powered by a single Williams FJ44-4M turbofan engine producing 4,000 pounds-force (17.8 kN) of thrust and has a maximum gross takeoff weight of 5,000 pounds (2,270 kg).[2] The design is expected to provide the USAF with "affordable mass" to augment its crewed fighters in air-to-air missions; its low cost nature, while not "attritable," enables users and commanders to take greater risks with them.[7] A mockup of the design was showcased during a September 2024 USAF conference.[8]
The aircraft received its formal designation during the 2025 Air & Space Forces Association symposium. Flight testing was expected to begin in summer of 2025,[9] but it was still delayed into September 2025.[10] The first flight occurred on 31 October 2025.[1]
Specifications (estimated)
Data from The War Zone[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 0 onboard
- Length: 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Wingspan: 17 ft (5.2 m)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,000 lb (2,268 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Williams FJ44-4M turbofan, 4,000 lbf (18 kN) thrust
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.95
- Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
- g limits: +9 / −3
Armament
- Hardpoints: 2× weapons stations
- Missiles: 2× AIM-120 AMRAAM
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Trevithick, Joseph (31 October 2025). "Anduril’s YFQ-44 Fury ‘Fighter’ Drone Has Flown". https://www.twz.com/air/andurils-yfq-44-fury-fighter-drone-has-flown.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Trevithick, Joseph; Rogoway, Tyler (11 September 2023). "The Rise of Fury". The War Zone. https://www.twz.com/the-rise-of-fury.
- ↑ Parmar, Abhinav; Stone, Mike (September 6, 2023). "Palmer Luckey's defense tech startup Anduril buys autonomous aircraft maker". Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/palmer-luckeys-defense-tech-startup-anduril-buys-autonomous-aircraft-maker-2023-09-07/.
- ↑ Decker, Audrey (23 September 2024). "Dueling robot wingmen take the stage". Defense One. https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2024/09/dueling-robot-wingmen-take-stage/399746/.
- ↑ Insinna, Valerie (10 September 2024). "Anduril, General Atomics to showcase drone wingmen models at Air Force conference next week". Breaking Defense. https://breakingdefense.com/2024/09/anduril-general-atomics-to-showcase-drone-wingmen-models-at-air-force-conference-next-week/.
- ↑ Tirpak, John (2024-04-25). "Anduril and General Atomics to Develop New Collaborative Combat Aircraft for Air Force" (in en-US). https://www.airandspaceforces.com/cca-contract-winners-to-be-announced-imminently/.
- ↑ Finnerty, Ryan (19 September 2024). "USAF’s first autonomous combat jets will act as air-to-air ‘missile trucks’ for crewed fighters". FlightGlobal. https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/usafs-first-autonomous-combat-jets-will-act-as-air-to-air-missile-trucks-for-crewed-fighters/160011.article.
- ↑ D'Urso, Stefano (17 September 2024). "Anduril And General Atomics Showcase Collaborative Combat Aircraft Mockups". The Aviationist. https://theaviationist.com/2024/09/17/anduril-and-general-atomics-showcase-collaborative-combat-aircraft-mockups/.
- ↑ Gordon, Chris (3 March 2025). "America’s First Unmanned Fighters Are Here: YFQ-42 and YFQ-44". Air and Space Forces Magazine. Air and Space Forces Association. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/americas-first-unmanned-fighters-yfq-42-yfq-44/.
- ↑ "Anduril’s Fury Will Take Off For The First Time At The Touch Of A Button". TWZ. 22 September 2025. https://www.twz.com/air/andurils-fury-collaborative-combat-drone-will-takeoff-for-first-time-at-touch-of-a-button.
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