The contract initiates integration of a Marine Corps mission kit into the YFQ-42A surrogate platform for evaluation within the Marine Air Ground Task Force. It also includes rapid development of autonomy for the government-supplied mission kit, described as a cost-effective, sensor-rich, software-defined suite capable of delivering kinetic and non-kinetic effects, positioning the solution for use in expeditionary operations and supporting assessments of future MUX TACAIR capabilities.
“This selection builds upon the GA-ASI autonomous systems in use today and demonstrates our commitment to delivering next generation capabilities for critical USMC missions,” said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs for GA-ASI. “Our FQ-42, combined with our proven autonomy architecture and integration expertise, positions us to rapidly deliver an affordable CCA solution that enhances the Marine Air-Ground Task Force’s operational effectiveness in contested environments.”
GA-ASI was previously selected by the United States Air Force in April 2024 to build production-representative flight test articles for the CCA program. The YFQ-42A completed its maiden flight in August 2025, validating what the company described as a “genus/species” concept for rapid, modular and low-cost uncrewed fighter aircraft development.
The YFQ-42A is a purpose-built CCA platform developed as part of GA-ASI’s continued investment in next-generation autonomous combat aircraft. Its modular design enables rapid integration of mission systems, while the company’s autonomy architecture, demonstrated through multiple live flight tests, provides a foundation for human-machine teaming in complex combat scenarios.
