General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) marked a significant milestone with the first flight of the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) on August 27, 2025; a jet-powered, stealthy, semi-autonomous drone developed under the U.S. Air Force’s CCA Increment 1 program. Derived from the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station, the YFQ-42A leverages advanced digital engineering and AI autonomy honed over five years with the MQ-20 Avenger, achieving flight status just 16 months after contract award in April 2024.
This rapid development, praised by GA-ASI President David R. Alexander and Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, underscores a collaborative push to deliver affordable, high-capability drones for air dominance, with ground testing starting in May 2025.
The YFQ-42A, alongside Anduril’s YFQ-44A, which is set to begin flight testing soon, represents the Air Force’s vision for a transformative CCA program aiming to produce over 1000 drones across multiple phases. With plans to order 100–150 units in Fiscal Year 2026, the Air Force views CCAs as critical for future high-end conflicts, enhancing lethality and flexibility through human-machine teaming.
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