# @thevigilantheroes on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DLq-Y_5Onje
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/66793566-thevigilantheroes-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/b13e1872d9.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-07-04T03:53:19.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Vigilant Heroes (@thevigilantheroes) — https://gondola.cc/thevigilantheroes

## Caption

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.
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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.
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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 critical role.
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Behind the scenes, the Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit is expanding to test how human-machine teams will fight. A complementary project called VENOM is using modified F-16s to refine AI “autonomy skills” for future air combat—including drone formations, defensive maneuvers, and offensive strike packages.
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This future-forward ecosystem will eventually include the F-35, B-21 Raider, and the sixth-gen F-47 fighters (the Navy & USMC will also collaborate on a joint architecture). For now, the Raptor will lead the charge.
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As the Air Force races to define what future warfare looks like, it’s clear that manned fighters controlling semi-autonomous drones are no longer an idea/test...they’re coming to a fighter formation soon. We’ll keep you updated: thevigilantheroes
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#futurewar #F22 #Raptor #drone #airwarfare #avgeek #instaaviation #military #stealth #airforce #navy #usmc #marines #AI #drone #dronewarfare

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## Tags

marines, airforce, airwarfare, avgeek, instaaviation, stealth, military, drone, futurewar, f22, navy, ai, raptor, dronewarfare, usmc

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