SAN DIEGO. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has received a production contract from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for the FQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The initial order is a significant milestone, beginning the delivery of production aircraft to the warfighter. GA-ASI designed, developed and flight-tested FQ-42A on an accelerated schedule unlike any fighter in recent history.
“This is an exciting day for our company and the nation,” said company President David R. Alexander. “Moving to production on FQ-42A is the result of an extraordinary partnership and many years of investments between General Atomics and the U.S. Air Force. We’ve been preparing for this order, and manufacturing is already well underway.”
The FQ-42A is a purpose-built, uncrewed fighter developed as part of ongoing investment in next-generation semi-autonomous combat aircraft. The aircraft’s modular design enables rapid integration of mission systems and mission autonomy software. GA-ASI’s software architecture, demonstrated through live flight tests on multiple airframes, provides the foundation for human-machine teaming in complex combat scenarios.
The development effort by GA-ASI fast-tracked, with the aircraft moving from contract award to first flight in just 15 months, one of the fastest rollouts of a new fighter in history.
GA-ASI was selected by the U.S. Air Force in 2024 to build production-representative flight test articles for the CCA program. The YFQ-42A successfully conducted its maiden flight in August 2025, validating a “genus/species” concept for rapid, modular, and low-cost uncrewed fighter aircraft development previously demonstrated in partnership with U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
GA-ASI’s approach enables a common core aircraft design that can be rapidly adapted for different mission sets and service requirements. GA-ASI’s Gambit Series concept for CCA envisions multiple variants that serve specific needs, including long-endurance surveillance; air-to-air superiority; air-to-ground strike and more.
GA-ASI has been building and flying uncrewed jets for nearly two decades, beginning with the company-funded, weaponized MQ-20 Avenger® in 2008. The company’s XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station jet, developed in collaboration with AFRL, is a cutting-edge model for autonomous collaborative platforms with advanced airborne sensing and served as a flying prototype for the FQ-42A concept.
Pre-production versions of the new fighter were designated “YFQ-42;” with “Y” designating a prototype phase. The award of an Air Force production contract means the forthcoming aircraft will be among the first in history to carry the novel FQ designation: “F” for fighter and “Q” designating the platform is uncrewed.
