Anduril FQ-44 Fury

Summary

Category Military Drones
Origin country 🇺🇸 United States
ManufacturerAnduril
First flight31 October 2025

Technical specifications

Version: YFQ-44A
Maximum speed 1010 km/h (628 mph)
Wingspan5.2 m (17.1 ft)
Length6.1 m (20.0 ft)
Service ceiling15,000 m (49,213 ft)
Max. takeoff weight2,268 kg (5,000 lbs)
Powerplant1 x Williams FJ44-4M delivering 18 kN each

All operators

🇺🇸 United States

Armament

Missiles payload:

  • AIM-120 AMRAAM

Anduril FQ-44 Fury military drones side profile drawing

Description

The Anduril FQ-44 Fury is an American unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed by Anduril Industries as one of the two winning designs of Increment I of the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. It is intended to augment crewed fighters such as the F-15EX Eagle II, F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II and the planned Boeing F-47 in air-to-air missions through manned-unmanned teaming, providing the Air Force with "affordable mass": an aircraft cheap enough that commanders can accept greater risk with it, without being considered expendable.

Development

The design originated at Blue Force Technologies as a high-performance aggressor platform, known successively as Grackle, REDmedium and finally Fury, before the company was acquired by Anduril in 2023 and the aircraft was adapted for the CCA competition. The Fury is a fighter-like UCAV roughly half the size of an F-16, with swept trapezoidal wings, a chin-mounted air intake, a cruciform tail and external weapons stations. Powered by a single Williams FJ44-4M turbofan, it is designed to reach Mach 0.95 and 50,000 feet, pull up to 9 g, and carry two AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles.

The prototype was formally designated YFQ-44A in 2025 - the first "fighter drone" designation series in U.S. Air Force history alongside the General Atomics YFQ-42A - and made its first flight on 31 October 2025. In June 2026 the Air Force selected both aircraft for initial production, with a combined 150 FQ-44s and FQ-42s planned by 2030.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of aircraft is the FQ-44 Fury?
The Anduril FQ-44 Fury is a military drones aircraft developed by Anduril.
What is the maximum speed of the FQ-44 Fury?
The Anduril FQ-44 Fury has a maximum speed of 1,010 km/h (627 mph).
When did the FQ-44 Fury first fly?
The Anduril FQ-44 Fury made its first flight on October 31, 2025.
What is the service ceiling of the FQ-44 Fury?
The Anduril FQ-44 Fury has a service ceiling of 15,000 meters (49,212 feet). This is the maximum altitude at which the aircraft can maintain controlled flight.
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