The F-22 Raptor is preparing to take on a bold new mission: controlling drone wingmen in combat. As part of the Air Force’s growing Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, stealthy Raptors will soon get tablet-based control systems to operate uncrewed platforms—effectively turning America’s most advanced air-superiority fighter into a command node in the sky. . The Air Force’s FY2026 budget calls for $15M to modify 142 combat-coded F-22s with the required kits...including tablets, cabling, software updates, and communication interfaces. These upgrades are part of a broader plan to field at least 1,000 CCAs over the coming decades. . Two prototype drones—General Atomics’ YFQ-42A and Anduril’s YFQ-44A—are already in development. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin has demonstrated tablet-based drone control from both F-22s and F-35s. Still, some test pilots say flying a Raptor while managing drone operations from a touchscreen is no easy feat. That’s where enhanced AI autonomy will play a cr...