The U.S. Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) is focused on involving operational Air Force personnel early in the development process, enabling experimentation with concepts of employment, mission planning, logistics and sustainment required to accelerate the operational fielding of Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
Four months after EOU operators first launched, recovered and sustained the YFQ-44A, the aircraft returned to Creech Air Force Base for a second exercise with the unit. The latest exercise focused on further developing the procedures and operational experience required to support the future fielding of production FQ-44 fighters.
The exercise increased task complexity and expanded the responsibilities handled by Air Force personnel. EOU operators tasked the aircraft throughout different stages of mission execution from multiple locations, demonstrating the disaggregated control required to reduce manpower requirements and enable CCA sorties from austere bases.
For the first time, operational users also directly oversaw daily mission autonomy flights with the YFQ-44A. The aircraft used mission autonomy to execute operationally relevant tactics and manoeuvres throughout the exercise.
The exercise built on the foundation established during the first EOU exercise in April and again demonstrated the aircraft’s operation, maintenance and sustainment characteristics. A week of on-time, high-tempo flight operations included multiple days with multiple sorties, reflecting the increasing familiarity of EOU operators with the system and the development of the aircraft.
The latest exercise provides evidence that operational procedures and the level of trust required to field the FQ-44 at scale are continuing to take shape.
Regular testing and experimentation with operational end users is central to the CCA programme’s approach to developing a combat-credible capability. The latest event marked the first of the thousands of sorties that prototype YFQ-44A and production FQ-44 semi-autonomous fighter aircraft are expected to conduct from Creech in the coming years.
The programme will continue collaboration with Air Force operators through future exercises, supporting the progression of the YFQ-44A from prototype development toward operational capability.
