General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. begun the ground testing phase of development on the YFQ-42A production-representative test vehicle for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program on May 7th, in preparation for its planned first flight later this summer.

“The YFQ-42A is an exciting next step for our company,” says GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “It reflects many years of partnership with the U.S. Air Force of advancing unmanned combat aviation for the United States and its allies around the world, and we’re excited to begin ground testing and move to first flight.”

YFQ-42A represents the third uncrewed jet type developed by GA-ASI. The internally funded MQ-20 Avenger made first flight in 2009 and has completed more than 40,000 flight hours, currently serving as a jet-powered CCA surrogate for autonomy development and critical advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning integration.

The XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) jet made first flight in 2024, the result of years of partnership with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to design an autonomous collaborative platform with a common chassis or “genus” that could pivot quickly to multiple missions and different aircraft “species.” The XQ-67A’s platform-sharing approach leverages best practices from the automotive industry to create a system design with lower cost and faster build in mind.

GA-ASI has developed more than two dozen different aircraft types and delivered more than 1,200 units to customers, building more than 100 aircraft per year at its five million square foot manufacturing facility in Poway, Calif. Its aircraft have amassed nearly nine million total flight hours around the world, with more than 50 GA-ASI aircraft flying every minute of every day.