U.S. Air Force pilots team up with autonomous combat drones in Nevada drills

At Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, the U.S. Air Force conducted extensive combat simulations that paired fighter pilots with several Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The unmanned platforms, identified as the YFQ-44A Fury and YFQ-42A Dark Merlin, were flown in concert with manned aircraft, testing mass integration in realistic battle conditions. General Ken Wilsbach highlighted that embedding uncrewed systems alongside airmen enhances operational reach and striking power.

A key milestone was the Fury’s launch of an AIM-120 AMRAAM, the first instance of an autonomous system firing a self-guided air-to-air missile. The service is pursuing rapid fielding of up to 1,000 such drones, backed by new contracts awarded to General Atomics for the Dark Merlin and Anduril for the Fury, as well as software development deals. Officials view the drills as a step toward future warfare dominated by coordinated drone fleets.