JULY 16, 2026 – The Department of the Air Force conducted live-fire testing of a YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, firing an AIM-120 weapon at a digital target in secluded airspace over the Mojave Desert.
This event is part of a deliberate, phased test progression that began with inert carriage evaluations earlier this year. The initial inert weapons captive carry flights focused on collecting in-flight data to verify the aircraft’s handling. Subsequent evaluations validated the data link integration between the aircraft and the weapon system, ensuring operator commands were executed precisely by the platform in a simulated environment.
“This live-fire test is an important next step in the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach. “We’re one step closer to delivering capabilities to the warfighter.”
A foundational principle of the CCA program is the retention of human oversight. CCA will not autonomously employ weapons. The decision to release any weapon system remains exclusively with a human operator, who maintains command and control of the platform at all times.
“Moving from inert carriage earlier this year to this weapon release demonstrates program maturity, allowing us to validate our digital integration models with actual data,” said Gen. Dale White, Department of War direct reporting portfolio manager for Critical Major Weapon Systems. “These tests provide operational validation that Collaborative Combat Aircraft can execute the weapon employment sequence autonomously within pilot-defined parameters, accelerating capability delivery to the warfighter.”
The live-fire test was performed in coordination with the 412th Test Wing’s Air Dominance Combined Test Force, a team consisting of active-duty military, government civilians, and government contractors, who worked to refine and validate the models required for a safe live-fire execution. This latest milestone continues the rapid pace of developmental testing for safe and effective CCA operations.
The Air Force’s CCA program continues to move with pace and break traditional procurement molds to field combat-ready, semi-autonomous systems that will extend reach, awareness and survivability of American airpower in contested environments.
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs