The contract was announced on June 17, 2026, after GA-ASI designed, developed and flight-tested the FQ-42A on an accelerated schedule. The company said the aircraft moved from contract award to first flight in just 15 months, one of the fastest rollouts of a new fighter in history.
“This is an exciting day for our company and the nation,” said company President David R. Alexander. “Moving to production on FQ-42A is the result of an extraordinary partnership and many years of investments between General Atomics and the U.S. Air Force.”
“We’ve been preparing for this order, and manufacturing is already well underway.” The production decision had been expected, and preparations for manufacturing began before the formal contract was signed.
The FQ-42A is a purpose-built, uncrewed fighter developed as part of investment in next-generation semi-autonomous combat aircraft. Its modular design enables rapid integration of mission systems and mission autonomy software.
GA-ASI said its software architecture has been demonstrated through live flight tests on multiple airframes. The company said the architecture provides the foundation for human-machine teaming in complex combat scenarios.
GA-ASI was selected by the U.S. Air Force in 2024 to build production-representative flight test articles for the CCA program. The YFQ-42A conducted its maiden flight in August 2025, validating a “genus/species” concept for rapid, modular and low-cost uncrewed fighter aircraft development.
That concept had previously been demonstrated in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. GA-ASI said its approach enables a common core aircraft design that can be rapidly adapted for different mission sets and service requirements.
The FQ-42A is linked to GA-ASI’s Gambit Series concept for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The concept envisions multiple variants for specific needs, including long-endurance surveillance, air-to-air superiority, air-to-ground strike and other missions.
The earlier test phase included a setback on April 6, 2026, when one of three prototypes crashed in the California desert shortly after takeoff. The accident was attributed in the provided input to an autopilot error involving the aircraft’s mass and center of gravity, after which remaining aircraft later resumed testing following software corrections.
GA-ASI has been building and flying uncrewed jets for nearly two decades. Its work began with the company-funded, weaponized MQ-20 Avenger in 2008.
The company also developed the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station jet in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. GA-ASI described the XQ-67A as a model for autonomous collaborative platforms with advanced airborne sensing and as a flying prototype for the FQ-42A concept.
Pre-production versions of the new fighter were designated YFQ-42, with “Y” indicating a prototype phase. The Air Force production contract means forthcoming aircraft will be among the first in history to carry the FQ designation, with “F” for fighter and “Q” for uncrewed.
