Just weeks after defence manufacturer Northrop Grumman unveiled its Talon uncrewed jet, the design has received a major endorsement from the US Air Force.
The service on 22 December gave the Talon an official prototype designation under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme that is seeking to develop uncrewed fighter jets for frontline combat.
Within the USAF, the Talon prototype will be known as the YFQ-48A – the third such designation assigned under the new “FQ” aircraft series first unveiled in March 2025.
The air force says assigning the Talon an official designation “acknowledges the continued progress of the YFQ-48A as a strong contender in the CCA programme.”
“We are encouraged by Northrop Grumman’s continued investment in developing advanced semi-autonomous capabilities,” says Brigadier General Jason Voorheis, who manages USAF procurement for fighters and advanced aircraft.
The Talon design is an uncrewed jet based on the Model 437 Vanguard – a low-cost, optionally manned aircraft developed by Northrop subsidiary Scaled Composites.
A crewed Model 437 logged its first flight in 2024. Northrop is now using the type as a flying testbed for the company’s Beacon project to evaluate and mature new technologies for autonomous flight.
The air force endorsement of the Talon design is significant for Northrop, which was notably passed over for the first round of CCA development – known as increment one.
Other aerospace heavyweights including Boeing and Lockheed Martin were similarly unsuccessful, with uncrewed aircraft manufacturer General Atomics and defence start-up Anduril Industries receiving competitive development contracts.
Those aircraft received the first two CCA designations of YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively. Both General Atomics and Anduril have begun flight testing their prototypes, with the air force expected to select a winner in latter part of 2026.
With increment one development well underway, the USAF is now turning its attention toward a follow-up CCA design known as increment two.
Nine vendors have been selected to perform initial development work on increment two CCAs, news which was first reported by Breaking Defense on 19 December.
The USAF pursued a similar strategy with increment one, funding initial development work by five contenders, before quickly reducing the field to a two-way competition between Anduril and General Atomics.
While firm requirements for second stage of the CCA programme have not yet been made public, industry sources tell FlightGlobal that the air force is currently exploring the possibility of two classes of jet for increment two, including small- and medium-sized designs.
Propulsion suppliers are rolling out new engine designs in both size categories designed to meet the lower cost targets the USAF has set for the FQ-family of aircraft.
A separate uncrewed fighter initiative is being pursued by the US Navy, which is seeking to develop a carrier-capable CCA.
Boeing, General Atomics, Northrop Grumman and Anduril have reportedly been selected for initial development contracts under that programme.
