The second of the U.S. Air Force’s two prototype drone wingmen, known as collaborative combat aircraft , began flight testing Friday, the service said.

Anduril’s YFQ-44A drone carried out its first flight at an unidentified California test location Friday, the Air Force said. It follows the first flight of its General Atomics-made counterpart, the YFQ-42A , which took place in August.

“This milestone demonstrates how competition drives innovation and accelerates delivery,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement. “These flights are giving us the hard data we need to shape requirements, reduce risk, and ensure the CCA program delivers combat capability on a pace and scale that keeps us ahead of the threat.”

The Air Force wants to create a fleet of at least 1,000 artificial

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