U.S. Air Force Decouples Autonomy Software from Combat Aircraft Hardware

The U.S. Air Force successfully integrated government-standardized autonomous software into two prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A. By utilizing the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), the service decoupled mission software from vehicle hardware to prevent vendor lock and allow for rapid algorithm updates across different platforms.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. used Sidekick software from Collins Aerospace to conduct the first semi-autonomous airborne mission of the YFQ-42A in February 2026. During the test, a ground-based operator transmitted commands that the aircraft executed with high accuracy for over four hours. This development supports the Gambit Series of missionized aircraft, including the XQ-67A and YFQ-42A.

Simultaneously, Shield AI was selected as a mission autonomy provider to support Technology Maturity and Risk Reduction activities. Shield AI is integrating its Hivemind software, which handles sensing and decision-making, into Anduril Industries' YFQ-44A Fury aircraft for upcoming flight demonstrations. The Air Force intends to field at least 1,000 CCAs to serve as drone wingmen for F-35A and F-47 fighters in reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike operations.