The revelation of the level of Chinese high end and mid tier CCAs and their operational readiness signals to the military observing world (at least the intelligent, sane and less biased one) that China's gap in military combat aviation (fighters and combat drones) has thoroughly outpaced and leapfrogged the Americans. The only potential US advantage that still exist would be turbofan engines. Not even engines like combined cycle, scramjet and rotating detonation engines. China's likely ahead in those fields with the available evidence and demonstrations shown over the years.
The gap in CCAs is even greater than the gap in fighters where Chinese next generation fighter programs are several times greater and as a snapshot, approximately 5 years ahead of the US (probably also running faster too for those how understand there's the additional variable dimension).
The fighter gap is within a generation.
The CCA gap is over 2 generations.
The US is still working on the following CCAs of which they've completely disclosed since pretty much day 10 of their program lives.
1. General Atomics XQ-67A
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Tiny <20KN (assumed since comparable sized US projects all have single 9KN engines). Can barely carry a single bomb load or two AIM-120D. First flight in 2024 and at early prototyping phase.
2. General Atomics YFQ-42
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Another tiny <20KN (assumed since comparable sized US projects all have single 9KN engines) powered medium sized CCA. Payload capacity max at 2x AIM-120D. First flight was in August 2025. Literally a week ago. Early prototyping phase - first flying prototype
3. Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie
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This one's given the usual pomp and fanfare because it's a new startup small defence company. It's kinda laughable though because it's currently got no landing gears. What you see in the image is wheels from the trolley used to carry it to its rocket launching rig. It's rocket launched and recovered via parachute.
Engine is 9KN. Payload is a single internal bay pylon for a single bomb. First flight in 2019 and still working on near production prototypes to bring project to LRIP if it gains service with the USAF.
4. Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat
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Engine is the same Williams FJ33 used by the Kratos CCA. 9KN thrust. Payload again is basically 1 or 2 weapons whether 500kg bomb or 2 AIM-120D. First flight in 2021. Working on near production prototypes to bring project to LRIP if procured by USAF.
5. Anduril YFQ-44
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Has a single vertical stabiliser angled at 90 degrees to the horizontal. Anduril engineers must've been high school dropouts. These guys think they're making a stealth drone ... with a 90 degree single vertical stabiliser. I've read Indian interneters with more technical knowledge. This one is just... lol. Nice cash grab though. Elon would give his approval here.
This attempt's got the same planform as an F-16. Not only were they incapable of designing an appropriate vertical stabiliser set up but also could not figure out a way to get rid of the horizontal stabilisers. Where other CCAs are minimising control surfaces without really taking away performance (see even the other American CCAs 1-4), Anduril gives a whopping full set of control surfaces. Do they also want to add canards and ventral fins?
This CCA has at least more available power with an engine of the 20KN category. First flight has yet to be announced but expected in 2025. Very early prototyping. They are apparently making the flight prototype.
The speed for all these CCAs are subsonic. Payload capacity make these things essentially extended cruise missiles. For air to air, these things top speed out at around mach 8 or mach 9. That is going to really limit how useful these CCAs are.
None are even close to service and some might be rejected by the USAF.
Meanwhile the Chinese CCA of this class (medium type, subsonic, low payload) are already in service and have been for who knows how long. Their tactics are going to be refined and the products themselves. These things are designed to be attritable. So better make them fast and affordable.
Chinese heavy, high tier CCAs are also in operational service. US equivalents aren't even at prototyping (which usually take multiple years at the very least). Both the revealed heavy CCAs are supersonic and feature no vertical or horizontal stabliser designs carried over from the J-50 and J-36 6th gen fighter projects. Payload capacity would be roughly 3 to 4 times greater than the CCAs the US are still working on.
Engines being used for the two primary heavy CCAs in PLAAF are >120KN, afterburning capable WS-10 variants.
This gap is more than 10 years and span over 1 full generation and over 1 full class of this platform type.
