NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Anduril Industries has conducted ground fit-checks of several air-to-ground weapons on its YFQ-44A Fury autonomous aircraft, expanding the potential mission set of the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) platform beyond its original air-to-air focus.
The company released imagery showing the Fury fitted with 2.75-inch rocket pods, 500-pound-class guided bombs including the GBU-54 Laser JDAM, and GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs mounted on twin adaptor racks under the wings. Anduril has also begun integration work for 250-pound SDBs, targeting pods and low-cost cruise missiles, including its Barracuda 500 cruise missile. The integration is being funded internally by Anduril.
Jason Levin, Anduril’s senior vice president for Air Dominance and Strike, and Erin Simpson, vice president for Strategy for Air Dominance and Strike, discussed the work during a roundtable at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Symposium.
Ground Fit-Checks Only
The weapons shown have not yet been flight-tested on the Fury. The current work is limited to ground fit-checks, which verify physical and structural compatibility, clearances and system interfaces.
Before these weapons can be cleared for operational use, the aircraft will need further testing covering aerodynamic effects, structural loads, store separation and captive-carry and live-release trials.
The YFQ-44A prototype currently has two external underwing hardpoints, while the production FQ-44 Fury is expected to have four. The additional stations could support different combinations of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.
Fury Already Demonstrated Air-to-Air Capability
The Fury has already demonstrated a live air-to-air weapons capability. On July 15, 2026, the YFQ-44A launched an AIM-120 AMRAAM during testing over the Mojave Desert. It has also conducted formation flights with F-35A fighters during Experimental Operations Unit testing at Creech Air Force Base, although the F-35s did not control the Fury during those flights.
The Fury, previously designated YFQ-44A during its prototype phase, is now officially designated the FQ-44 Fury by the Air Force. It is one of two designs selected for CCA Increment 1, alongside General Atomics' FQ-42. Production contracts were awarded in June 2026.
Anduril has begun preparing production at its Arsenal-1 facility and has invested in long-lead items, although full production work under the contract depends on fiscal year 2027 funding.
The latest fit-checks show that Anduril is exploring a broader range of weapons and mission configurations for the Fury, while the Air Force has not yet finalized requirements for later CCA increments.
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