The US Air Force’s CCA program is rapidly moving toward an operational combat drone force by decade’s end. Recent testing of Anduril‘s YFQ-44A showed that Air Force crews can already operate and maintain it with minimal training, thanks to its semi-autonomous design.

The exercise proved the aircraft can run from small, dispersed bases with limited manpower and equipment—key to future warfare concepts.

Bottom line: it’s a fast-moving program that’s turning a prototype into a practical, deployable combat capability.