General Atomics YFQ-42
| YFQ-42 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Unmanned combat aerial vehicle, collaborative combat aircraft |
| Manufacturer | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems |
| Status | Under development |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
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
The YFQ-42 is believed to be a member of General Atomics' "Gambit" family of UCAVs, likely related to the company's XQ-67A.[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 XA-67A, having a fuselage with slender wings, a dorsal-mounted inlet, a single engine, V-tails, and internal weapons bay.[4] The design is expected to provide the U.S. Air Force with "affordable mass" to augment its crewed fighters in air-to-air missions, and its low cost, attritable nature also enables users to take greater risks with them.[5]
The aircraft received its formal designation during the 2025 Air & Space Forces Association symposium. Flight testing is expected to begin in 2025.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Decker, Audrey (23 September 2024). "Dueling robot wingmen take the stage". Defense One.
- ^ Insinna, Valerie (10 September 2024). "Anduril, General Atomics to showcase drone wingmen models at Air Force conference next week". Breaking Defense.
- ^ Tirpak, John (25 April 2024). "Anduril and General Atomics to Develop New Collaborative Combat Aircraft for Air Force". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ D'Urso, Stefano (17 September 2024). "Anduril And General Atomics Showcase Collaborative Combat Aircraft Mockups". The Aviationist.
- ^ Finnerty, Ryan (19 September 2024). "USAF's first autonomous combat jets will act as air-to-air 'missile trucks' for crewed fighters". FlightGlobal.
- ^ Gordon, Chris (3 March 2025). "America's First Unmanned Fighters Are Here: YFQ-42 and YFQ-44". Air and Space Forces Magazine. Air and Space Forces Association.