A YFQ-42 Dark Merlin drone on display at the Salon du Bourget (Paris Air Show) in June 2025. The Dark Merlin is one of two “loyal wingman” drones currently in US Air Force service, alongside the YFQ-44 “Fury.” (Wikimedia Commons/Artvill)

Which Two ‘Collaborative Combat Aircraft’ Drones Does America Have?

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The US Air Force has commissioned two separate “loyal wingman” drone programs, designed for different priorities in warfare.

The US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program is arguably the most important shift in combat aviation since the introduction of stealth technology. The goal is ambitious: to field at least 1,000 autonomous combat drones, pairing them with the F-35, F-47, and potentially the B-21—and ultimately creating affordable combat mass for a potential Pacific war.

The Economics of Air Warfare

Instead of sending a single fighter into combat, the Air Force hopes that future pilots will be able to command multiple robotic “loyal wingmen” capable of carrying extra missiles, electronic warfare (EW), reconnaissance, decoy operations, and absorbing enemy........

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