SAN DIEGO, September 21, 2025. Ongoing flight operations of the new YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft helped General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., set a new company record this week, pushing past a total of 9 million flight hours.
GA-ASI has been tracking total flight hours across its fleet of unmanned aerial systems since the company’s inception 33 years ago. Its line of UAS includes iconic aircraft such as the Predator®, Reaper®, Gray Eagle®, Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian®.
“What an amazing moment,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “Having spent so much time supporting the US military and its allies around the world with our other aircraft, it seems fitting that flight testing our new unmanned fighter jet for the US Air Force was what helped bring us past this milestone as we look ahead to a program that will change air dominance again.”
YFQ-42A’s ongoing flights are only part of GA-ASI’s unmanned operations. At any point in time, as many as 50 GA-ASI aircraft are in flight supporting global security for US and allied users worldwide.
GA-ASI’s aircraft have been a mainstay for the United States, allies and partners since the first flight of what was then called the RQ-1 Predator on July 3, 1994. The US Air Force changed the designation to MQ-1 Predator in 2002. Other aircraft, including the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-9A Reaper, and MQ-20 Avenger, followed as GA-ASI drove forward the capabilities and employment of uncrewed aircraft.
More recently, GA-ASI has begun deliveries of its new MQ-9B SkyGuardians and SeaGuardians. MQ-9B is the world’s most advanced Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, delivering exceptionally long endurance and range — with automatic takeoff and landing under pole-to-pole satellite-only control — and will be able to operate in unsegregated airspace using the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid system.
GA-ASI has made deliveries to the UK’s Royal Air Force (Protector) and the Belgian Air Force, and are fulfilling orders from Canada, Denmark, Poland, Japan, Taiwan, India, and the US Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command. MQ-9B has also supported various US Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, and Group Sail.
Meanwhile the company has been supporting the development of new aircraft and concepts of operation for the future of airpower. GA-ASI built and flies the XQ-67A Off Board Sensing Station – its second uncrewed combat jet – for the US Air Force Research Lab. Just last month, GA-ASI announced the start of flight testing for its third, the new YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The new unmanned fighter jet has been designed and developed by GA-ASI and is built for rapid production, in large quantities, at an affordable price.
