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U.S. Air Force & Anduril fire AIM-120 AMRAAM from YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone—first live air-to-air missile shot

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The U.S. Air Force conducted a live-fire test over the Mojave Desert in which Anduril’s developmental YFQ-44A CCA drone externally carried and launched a Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided air-to-air missile. The test marks the first time a U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone has fired a live air-to-air missile.

Discovered 2026-07-15T08:17:03.882731-07:00 | 2026-07-15T08:17:03.882731-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Validates a key CCA milestone: a robotic fighter drone can execute a live air-to-air missile launch using an AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided round.
  • Demonstrates platform-to-weapon integration for externally carried missiles on the YFQ-44A prototype, moving beyond digital target engagements to operationally relevant missile employment.
  • Signals near-term progress in autonomous combat aircraft development, supported by Raytheon missile participation, which can inform how defense primes and drone developers structure future CCA test and fielding roadmaps.

Reported By

Unmanned Airspace SpaceWatch Global defenseadvancement.com aero-defence.tech Aviation Week interestingengineering.com
Sources Tracked
26
First Seen
2026-07-15T08:17:03.882731-07:00
Latest Update
2026-07-16T02:18:01.885773-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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