Northrop Grumman’s Talon fighter drone could join Air Force’s CCA program

While the U.S. Air Force continues testing AI-enabled fighter drones from General Atomics and Anduril, it already has another officially recognized sibling in Northrop Grumman’s Talon fighter drone, formally dubbed the YFQ-48A.

In March 2025, the Air Force awarded official designations to its first two collaborative combat aircraft, or CCA drones, General Atomics’ YFQ-42 and Anduril’s YFQ-44. The drones are being tested to fly alongside advanced fighters for air-to-air combat missions.

Using official Air Force naming conventions, the “Y” in these designations indicates that these are prototype aircraft and are not yet in operational service. The “F” stands for “fighter” denoting the air-to-air capabilities of these drones. The “Q” indicates that it’s an unmanned or uncrewed aircraft. As such, upon entering service, Northrop’s Talon would become the FQ-48, losing that prototype “Y.”

The YFQ-42 and 44 are part of what the Air Force calls Increment 1 of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA, efforts. Increment 2, which is just kicking off now, is believed to place more emphasis on air-to-ground operations. The Air Force has chosen nine different firms to offer up proposals for increment 2, including Northrop Grumman, which Air Force officials have reportedly said stands a good chance of finding its way into the CCA family.

Northrop Grumman submitted an entry for the Increment 1 competition, but it has not yet been made public. The company says that the Talon was built directly off of lessons learned in that effort; it also surely benefited from the Model 437 Vanguard stealth aircraft program.

According to Northrop officials, the company’s first entry was too highly capable and thus expensive, for what the Air Force was looking for in Increment 1.

As a result, Talon was designed with a focus on maximizing capability while minimizing cost. Northrop says it’s made using approximately 50% fewer parts than its first entry, making it about 1,000 pounds lighter and 30% faster to produce.

Right now, there are no released details about the capabilities of Talon. However, it appears to boast a stealthy design, including a V-tail, dorsal-mounted air-intake, and distinct chine around the chin.

Unlike standard fighter acquisitions, which might see a single prime contractor win out, the Air Force aims to field a variety of CCA-style aircraft ranging from relatively low-cost and low-capability to extremely expensive, high-end assets.

All of these different aircraft types would operate in concert with one another to jam, spoof, and confuse enemy air defenses; identify and engage airborne and surface targets; and conduct rapid battle damage assessments.

In other words, not only will every fighter become a formation unto itself, but every pilot will be able to open and close their own kill chains at the speed of battle – something that largely hasn’t even been possible until fairly recently.

Feature Image: Northrop Grumman’s Talon drone. (Northrop Grumman)

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