US Air Force F-15 and F-16 team with XQ-58A Valkyrie drones in air combat test
July 9, 2025
On Tuesday, 8 July, the United States Air Force announced another major step in the development of advanced loyal wingman drones. During a recent test, an F-15 and an F-16 controlled multiple advanced experimental XQ-58A Valkyrie drones.
US Air Force F-15 & F-16 control multiple drones
The US Air Force (USAF) shared that an F-16C Fighting Falcon and an F-15E Strike Eagle each controlled two Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie pilotless aircraft in recent tests. The Air Force said that the test took place in an air combat training scenario.
The USAF noted that the test showcased real-time integration between manned and semi-autonomous systems.
Advanced semi-autonomous loyal wingman drones are seen as a critical enabler of future airpower, both to increase mass and to leverage the capabilities of manned fighters.
In the future, integrating unmanned platforms into aerial combat systems could reduce pilot workload and enhance situational awareness.
The quest for advanced loyal wingman drones
The Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie is a stealthy unmanned combat aerial aircraft originally built by the defence contractor, Kratos, through the Low-Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator programme.
The aim of the XQ-58 development was to provide a more cost-effective but tactically relevant platform to the Air Force. It is designed as an unmanned escort or ‘wingman’ aircraft to operate alongside the Air Force’s 4th and 5th-generation fighters as a force multiplier.
Examples of the Valkyrie are in use by the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy for developing their loyal wingman programmes.
In the Air Force, the loyal wingman is known as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The Air Force has awarded contracts to General Atomics’ YFQ-42A and Anduril’s YFQ-44A to develop advanced CCAs. It is also using other drones like the XQ-58 for testing and developing the technology.
Additionally, the Air Force is experimenting with flying retired F-16 Fighting Falcons as zombie drones.
Collaborative combat aircraft are key to future air power
The F-22 Raptor has been announced as the first tactical fighter jet slated to receive loyal wingman drones. These are expected to become combat-capable around 2030.
The Air Force has requested funding for 142 tablets and other accessories needed to retrofit the Raptors to operate the drones. Incidentally, the Air Force is believed to have around 142 combat-capable F-22s in service.
Besides tactical fighters, the Air Force is looking to pair CCAs with other aircraft like the B-21 stealth bomber and the E-7 Wedgetail radar airplane.
While touted as being a critical measure to restore much-needed mass, it is worth keeping in mind that these are very high-end and capable autonomous aircraft.
The fly-away cost of a new F-35 is around $100 million, depending on the variant, while the 6th-gen F-47 could be as much as $200-300 million each.
An advanced CCA is expected to cost around $20-30 million each. While that’s much cheaper than a 5th-generation fighter jet, it is similar to the base price of an F-16 before add-ons are included.
These are far from disposable single-use platforms, although it’s possible to incorporate a range of platforms with varying capabilities and price points.
It’s also worth noting that AI-driven drones have a long way to go to replace manned fighter jets. That said, AI technology is progressing fast, and has already proven capable of complementing manned fighters and even carrying out certain missions autonomously.
