GA-ASI names YFQ-42A Dark Merlin and completes autonomous tests

The designation reflects fighter and uncrewed status, while recent flights demonstrated mission autonomy software in four-hour test operations.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. has designated its U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft as the YFQ-42A Dark Merlin, aligning the platform’s identity with its role as an uncrewed fighter in the emerging CCA fleet.

The “Y” prefix denotes early production-representative test aircraft, with the designation expected to transition to FQ-42A once the platform enters production. The Dark Merlin has accumulated milestones since GA-ASI’s April 2024 selection to build flight test articles, including the U.S. Air Force’s first CCA flight in August 2025 and, more recently, its first CCA sortie employing mission autonomy software.

A recent flight paired the YFQ-42A with crewed fighter aircraft, extending sensor reach and supporting combat-relevant tasking. During the test, autonomy mode enabled a four-hour sortie overseen by a ground-based operator.

Collins Aerospace integrated its Sidekick collaborative mission autonomy software onto the platform, supporting open-systems interaction between crewed and uncrewed assets under the Increment 1 CCA programme.

GA-ASI describes the Dark Merlin as a purpose-built CCA platform with a modular architecture enabling rapid mission system integration and supporting human-machine teaming in complex combat scenarios.