Boeing F47 Next Generation Fighter With Anduril YFQ-44A and GA YFQ-42A Superdrones

The US Air Force has selected companies and funded the purchase of new combat superdrones and the Boeing F47 next generation stealth fighter. X-prototype versions of the Boeing F47 stealth fighter have been flying for several years and the new drones are also flying.

General Atomics and Anduril phase 1 high performance drones in the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program are designated YFQ-42A (general atomics) and YFQ-44A (anduril).

Air Force is looking to buy at least between 100 and 150 Increment 1 CCAs for each phase of the program. Each phase of the CCA drone program is about 3-6 years but they are overlapping phases. Increment one of the CCA program is focused on selecting an initial drone design that will hopefully be put into production by around 2028. In 2025, the phase 2 program is already starting. Increment two will be a second tranche of drones. Phase 2 will be the first time the CCA program will possibly include participation by foreign allies and partners.

The Air Force expects to kick off a competition for Increment 2 sometime in Fiscal Year 2025, which began on Oct. 1.

The US Air Force will buy extra CCA superdrones for the Experimental Operations Unit [EOU]. The EOU will createnew tactics, techniques, and procedures for using CCAs and integrating them into the Air Force’s overall force structure.

YFQ-44A (Anduril Industries) Fury was developed by Blue Force Technologies to simulate high-end threats. Anduril bought Blue Force in 2023 and adapted it for the CCA program.

Fury is a fighter-like UCAV that is about half the size of an F-16 Fighting Falcon (F-16 length: ~49 ft / 15 meters; Fury estimated ~24-25 ft / 7-8 meters).

Fury Performance and Specifications

Maximum altitude: Up to 50,000 feet (15,240 m).

Speed: Mach 0.95 (approximately 717 mph / 1,154 kph at sea level, though altitude-specific performance varies).

Maneuverability: Capable of pulling up to 9g maximum and sustaining 4.5g at 20,000 feet (6,100 m).

Propulsion: Single turbofan engine (probably a Williams FJ44 or Pratt & Whitney PW500).

Armament: External weapons mounting confirmed, with renderings suggesting air-to-air missiles (possibly AIM-120 AMRAAMs)

CCA cost estimates range from $25M-$30M per unit

Range: Not publicly stated, estimated 500-1,000 miles (800-1,600 km) based on a similar XQ-58A Valkyrie.

YFQ-42A (General Atomics) Performance and Specifications

General Atomics built the MQ-9 Reaper combat drones.

Cost: Likely $25M-$30M range per unit and a cost-per-pound target of ~$1,200/lb (compared to $4,000-$6,000/lb for crewed fighters).

Range: Maybe over 1,000 miles (1,600 km), though optimized for combat rather than loitering.

Boeing Next Gen F47 Fighter Will Work With 3-5 CCA SuperDrones