MQ-28과 같이 비행하는 모습이 공개된 F-15EX

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When Computers Went To Sea | F-15EX 뒷자리에서 MQ-28에게 임무 주는 비디오 - Daum 카페

F-15EX 뒷자리에서 MQ-28에게 임무 주는 비디오

미 태평양공군이 7월 1일 밸리언트 실드 26 훈련 기간 중 필리핀해 상공에서 F-15EX 이글II와 MQ-28 고스트뱃 CCA가 같이 비행하는 사진을 공개했네요. 

MQ-28 Ghost Bat와 미 공군 F-15EX Eagle II가 필리핀해 상공에서 실시된 **Valiant Shield 2026** 훈련에 참가했다. (미 태평양공군)

사진 확대

**사진: F-15EX, 태평양에서 CCA 드론과 함께 비행**

2026년 7월 2일 | Greg Hadley

미 공군은 이번 주 F-15EX Eagle II 전투기가 무인 협동전투항공기(CCA)와 함께 대규모 태평양 훈련에서 비행하면서 미래 공중전의 모습을 엿볼 수 있었다.

태평양공군(PACAF)은 7월 1일 소셜미디어를 통해 이 역사적인 비행을 공개하며, **Valiant Shield 26** 훈련 기간 중 필리핀해 상공에서 실시된 이번 비행이 "전구에서 인간과 기계가 협력하는 미래"를 보여줬다고 밝혔다.

F-15EX는 향후 수년 내 일본 가데나 공군기지에 영구 배치될 예정인 F-15EX 운용을 준비하기 위해 해당 지역을 방문 중이다. 함께 비행한 CCA는 Boeing의 **MQ-28 Ghost Bat**으로, Valiant Shield 훈련에 참가해 공군 장병들이 미래 전투에서 유인 전투기와 반자율 무인기를 함께 운용하는 방법을 익히도록 지원하고 있다.

MQ-28 Ghost Bat와 미 공군 F-15EX Eagle II가 필리핀해 상공에서 실시된 **Valiant Shield 2026** 훈련에 참가했다. (미 태평양공군)

F-15EX와 CCA는 모두 미 공군의 미래 전투기 전력의 핵심으로 자리 잡을 것으로 예상된다. 다만 미 공군이 실제 도입하기로 결정한 CCA는 **General Atomics**의 **FQ-42**와 **Anduril**의 **FQ-44**이다.

4세대 전투기인 F-15를 대폭 개량한 F-15EX는 F-22, F-35, F-47의 스텔스 침투 능력을 보완하는 기종으로 구상되고 있으며, 더 많은 무장을 탑재해 이른바 '미사일 트럭(Missile Truck)' 역할을 수행할 수 있다. 미 공군은 최근 도입 계획을 기존 129대에서 총 267대로 두 배 이상 확대했다.

한편 CCA는 상대적으로 낮은 비용으로 미 공군의 '전투 질량(combat mass)'을 확대하는 동시에 편대 중심에 있는 유인 조종사의 위험을 줄이기 위해 개발되고 있다. 초기형은 공대공 무장을 탑재하지만, 이후에는 정보·감시·정찰(ISR), 전자공격, 기타 다양한 임무에도 활용될 수 있다.

미 공군이 CCA가 유인 전투기와 함께 비행하는 모습을 공식적으로 공개한 것은 이번이 처음이다. 다만 공군과 업계는 이전에도 두 기종을 함께 운용하는 시험을 실시한 바 있다. 지난해 10월에는 네바다에서 F-22 조종사가 전투기 조종석에서 **MQ-20 'CCA 대리 시험기(CCA surrogate)'**를 원격 조종했으며, 올해 5월에는 F-35 조종사가 지상에서 조종석에 앉은 상태로 MQ-20을 조종했다. 지금까지 F-15EX와 함께 실시된 시험은 공개된 적이 없었다.

이번 Valiant Shield 비행에서 F-15EX 조종사가 MQ-28을 실제로 통제했는지는 확인되지 않았다. 태평양공군 대변인은 앞서 *Air & Space Forces Magazine*에 "구체적인 비행 작전이나 전술적 통합 세부 사항에 대해서는 언급하지 않는다"고 밝혔다.

PHOTOS: F-15EX Flies with CCA Drone in the Pacific

An MQ-28 Ghost Bat and U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II participated in Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 over the Philippine Sea. Pacific Air Forces photo

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PHOTOS: F-15EX Flies with CCA Drone in the Pacific

July 2, 2026 | By Greg Hadley

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The Air Force got a glimpse into the future this week as an F-15EX Eagle II fighter flew alongside an uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft during a major Pacific exercise.

Pacific Air Forces announced the historic flight in a July 1 social media post, saying the flight over the Philippine Sea during exercise Valiant Shield 26 demonstrated “the future of human-machine teaming in the theater.”

The F-15EX is in the region visiting Kadena Air Base, Japan, to help personnel prepare for EXs to be permanently based there in the coming years. The CCA is Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat, which is participating in Valiant Shield to help Airmen practice how they will operate manned fighters with semi-autonomous drones in future combat operations.

An MQ-28 Ghost Bat and U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II participated in Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 over the Philippine Sea. Pacific Air Forces photo

The F-15EX and CCA are both expected to be cornerstones of the Air Force’s future combat fleet. But the CCAs the Air Force has committed to buying are General Atomics’ FQ-42 and Anduril’s FQ-44.

The EX, a heavily upgraded version of the fourth-generation F-15, is envisioned as a complement to the penetrating stealth of the F-22, F-35, and F-47, capable of carrying more ordnance and serving as a “missile truck.” The Air Force just recently doubled its planned fleet size, from 129 aircraft to 267 total.

CCAs, meanwhile, are meant to expand the Air Force’s “combat mass” at a lower cost while reducing risk to the human pilots at the center of their formations. The first versions will carry air-to-air weapons, but subsequent ones could be used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, electronic attack, or more.

This is the first time the Air Force has published imagery of a CCA flying alongside a manned fighter, though the service and industry have conducted tests pairing them in the past. In October, an F-22 pilot controlled an MQ-20 “CCA surrogate” drone from from the fighter’s cockpit during a test in Nevada. And in May, an F-35 pilot controlled an MQ-20 from his cockpit on the ground. No previous tests with the F-15EX have been announced.

It’s unclear if the F-15EX pilot was controlling the MQ-28 in the Valiant Shield flight. A PACAF spokesperson previously told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the command will not discuss “specific flight operations or tactical integration details.”

An MQ-28 Ghost Bat and U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II participated in Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 over the Philippine Sea. Pacific Air Forces photo

Expand Photo

PHOTOS: F-15EX Flies with CCA Drone in the Pacific

July 2, 2026 | By Greg Hadley

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

Share Article

The Air Force got a glimpse into the future this week as an F-15EX Eagle II fighter flew alongside an uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft during a major Pacific exercise.

Pacific Air Forces announced the historic flight in a July 1 social media post, saying the flight over the Philippine Sea during exercise Valiant Shield 26 demonstrated “the future of human-machine teaming in the theater.”

The F-15EX is in the region visiting Kadena Air Base, Japan, to help personnel prepare for EXs to be permanently based there in the coming years. The CCA is Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat, which is participating in Valiant Shield to help Airmen practice how they will operate manned fighters with semi-autonomous drones in future combat operations.

An MQ-28 Ghost Bat and U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II participated in Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 over the Philippine Sea. Pacific Air Forces photo

The F-15EX and CCA are both expected to be cornerstones of the Air Force’s future combat fleet. But the CCAs the Air Force has committed to buying are General Atomics’ FQ-42 and Anduril’s FQ-44.

The EX, a heavily upgraded version of the fourth-generation F-15, is envisioned as a complement to the penetrating stealth of the F-22, F-35, and F-47, capable of carrying more ordnance and serving as a “missile truck.” The Air Force just recently doubled its planned fleet size, from 129 aircraft to 267 total.

CCAs, meanwhile, are meant to expand the Air Force’s “combat mass” at a lower cost while reducing risk to the human pilots at the center of their formations. The first versions will carry air-to-air weapons, but subsequent ones could be used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, electronic attack, or more.

This is the first time the Air Force has published imagery of a CCA flying alongside a manned fighter, though the service and industry have conducted tests pairing them in the past. In October, an F-22 pilot controlled an MQ-20 “CCA surrogate” drone from from the fighter’s cockpit during a test in Nevada. And in May, an F-35 pilot controlled an MQ-20 from his cockpit on the ground. No previous tests with the F-15EX have been announced.

It’s unclear if the F-15EX pilot was controlling the MQ-28 in the Valiant Shield flight. A PACAF spokesperson previously told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the command will not discuss “specific flight operations or tactical integration details.”