General Atomics YFQ-42
| YFQ-42 | |
|---|---|
 General Atomics YFQ-42 in a ground test facility | |
| General information | |
| Type | Unmanned combat aerial vehicle, collaborative combat aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems |
| Status | Under development |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| History | |
| First flight | 27 August 2025 |
| Developed from | General Atomics XQ-67A |
The General Atomics YFQ-42 is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) currently under development by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. The aircraft is one of the winning designs for Increment I of the United States Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program and is intended to augment crewed fighter aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning, and the planned Next Generation Air Dominance fighter for air-to-air missions through manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T).
Development and design
[edit | edit source]The YFQ-42 is a member of General Atomics "Gambit" family of UCAVs and derived from the company's XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station demonstrator built for the Air Force Research Laboratory.[1][2] The design was selected as one of the two winners of the Increment I CCA alongside the Anduril YFQ-44.[3]
A mockup of the design was showcased during a September 2024 Air Force conference; the aircraft's configuration is similar to the XQ-67A but modified for greater speeds and fighter-like maneuverability, with the airframe having an elongated fuselage with slender wings, a dorsal-mounted inlet, a single engine, V-tails, and internal weapons bay. Planned armament is two AIM-120 AMRAAMs.[4][5] The design is expected to provide the USAF with "affordable mass" to augment its crewed fighters in air-to-air missions. Its low cost nature, while not attritable, enables users and commanders to take greater risks with them.[6]
The aircraft received its formal designation during the 2025 Air & Space Forces Association symposium. On 27 August 2025, the United States Air Force and General Atomics announced the YFQ-42A had begun its flight testing.[7]
See also
[edit | edit source]Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References
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