The contracts will see General Atomics produce the YFQ-42A and Anduril manufacture the YFQ-44A, creating the first operational fleet of autonomous combat aircraft designed to fly alongside crewed fighters as part of a next-generation “human-machine team”.

The Series B capital raise, led by existing and new investors, comes as the New Zealand-founded aerospace company accelerates development of its Aurora spaceplane and expands its growing satellite propulsion business.

Pilots will receive a 3 per cent wage increase per year for the next four years after nearly 56.5 per cent of those who voted supported the deal, which also includes rostering improvements and new part-time arrangements. It will cover around 1,250 pilots at the airline.

The completion of the AIR5440 program, dubbed “an important milestone in the delivery of a complex air mobility capability upgrade achieved through strong defence industry collaboration”, was marked with an event at RAAF Base Richmond this month.