The partnership follows the Air Force’s June award of an FQ-42 production contract to GA-ASI. The company said bringing in Spirit Defense would strengthen production resilience and reduce the risk of single points of failure.
“We’ve established our proven design, development, and manufacturing capability for the FQ-42,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “With Spirit Defense we add capacity, which is exactly the kind of production resilience our U.S. Air Force customer is looking for with its CCA ramp-up.”
Spirit Defense will contribute engineering and manufacturing expertise from design through production. The announcement did not specify production targets or a delivery timetable for its work.
GA-ASI has been the sole manufacturer of its aircraft since its founding in 1992. Its portfolio includes the MQ-9A Reaper, MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-20 Avenger and MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian.
“We’re proud to bring deep manufacturing expertise and proven capabilities to this important program,” said Spirit Defense President and CEO Keith Schrader. “Our team understands the responsibility that comes with supporting critical national defense programs, and we’re ready to deliver for our customer and the warfighter.”
Developed with the Air Force, the FQ-42 is a purpose-built uncrewed fighter in the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. Its modular design allows new mission systems and autonomy software to be integrated rapidly.
GA-ASI said the software architecture underpinning that work had been demonstrated in live flight tests on multiple airframes. It provides the foundation for human-machine teaming in complex combat scenarios.
The company is separately discussing its Gambit family of modular combat aircraft with international militaries. Those aircraft draw on development of the FQ-42, XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station and MQ-20 Avenger.
Gambit variants are designed for roles including electronic warfare, suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses, and stand-off precision strike. GA-ASI said customers could participate in manufacturing and integrate their own sensors, weapons and other combat technologies.
