General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) delivered a new FQ-42 Vengeance to Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on September 18, adding another aircraft to ongoing US Air Force test and evaluation activities for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme.
The aircraft will be used for further flight testing and experimentation as the Air Force evaluates autonomous and collaborative operations. Previous testing has involved the FQ-42, XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station and MQ-20 Avenger, including semi-autonomous and autonomous flights coordinated with F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II aircraft.
The FQ-42 is an uncrewed fighter featuring an internal weapons bay and design features intended to reduce its radar signature and improve survivability. The aircraft has also conducted formation flights with F-35 and F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft as part of preparations for collaborative operations with manned fighters.
GA-ASI was selected by the US Air Force in April 2024 to develop production-representative flight-test aircraft for the CCA programme. The FQ-42 completed its maiden flight in August 2025, followed by selection for an initial production contract in June 2026.
Production is now underway, with GA-ASI having completed a low-observable paint facility to support the programme. The company says its current manufacturing capacity can support production of up to six FQ-42 aircraft per month, with additional space available for future orders.
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The FQ-42 forms part of GA-ASI’s Gambit Series of combat aircraft, which uses a modular architecture intended to allow new systems, weapons and autonomy software to be integrated without major platform redesign.
GA-ASI has nearly two decades of experience developing uncrewed aircraft, beginning with the company-funded MQ-20 Avenger in 2008. The Avenger has subsequently been used as a test platform for CCA development, while the XQ-67A served as a flying prototype for the FQ-42 programme.
