YFQ-44A Unmanned Jets Will Fly With the F-47 Sixth Generation Fighter

The US Air force is making YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A unmanned jets that will fly with the F-47 sixth generation fighter. There will be about five drones for each F-47 fighter. Over 1,000 of the unmanned aircraft are planned. the unmanned jets will start operating first from 2025-2029 while the F-47 will start prototype flights in 2027. The YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A and F-47 systems will be built and designed to work together. The NGAD program is an overall plan for manned and unmanned aircraft, rather than a specific individual aircraft.

These aircraft, from Increment 1 of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) contract, are designed to work closely in tandem with sixth generation aircraft like the F-47 in order to provide force multiplication with additional payload capacity, sensor picket capabilities, and decoy missions.

YFQ-44A Specifications (estimated):

Crew: 0 (autonomous/unmanned)

Length: 20ft (6.1m)

Wingspan: 17ft (5.2m)

Max Takeoff Weight: 5,000lb (2,268kg)

Engine: 1 × Williams FJ44-4M turbofan, 4,000lbf (17.8kN)

Max Speed: Mach 0.95

Service Ceiling: 50,000ft (15,200m)

g-Limits: +9 / −3 (can sustain 4.5g at 20,000ft)

Armament: 2 external hardpoints, typically carrying 2× AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles (no internal bay, prioritizing cost and modularity)

Role Features: Agile dogfighting, decoy and intercept missions, can operate in riskier/high-threat environments, modest stealth features

Modular payloads (can carry electronic warfare, ISR, or munitions packages).

Designed for affordability, mass production, and rapid mission adaptability.

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Brian Wang

Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.

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