GA-ASI has flown a second YFQ-42A collaborative fighter aircraft, following the type’s first flight in August.
Two months after the type’s first flight on August 27, 2025, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems revealed on November 3 that it has flown a second YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft (CCA). The company published photographs of the second plane along with the advertisement of participation in the 2025 International Fighter Conference.
The unveiling of the second YFQ-42 also comes a few days after Anduril first flew the YFQ-44A on October 31, 2025. Following this milestone, the US Air Force’s two new unmanned fighters are now undergoing flight testing as part of Increment 1 of the CCA program.
“The YFQ-42A is a revolutionary aircraft and the fleet is in production and in the air today,” said David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI. “This is not a ‘wait and see’ moment. We are flying. We are delivering. And we are advancing this future of combat aviation, the same way we have for more than three decades.”
The YFQ-42
The YFQ-42A is designed for semi-autonomous air-to-air operations and is based on the “genus-species” approach pioneered with the XQ-67A External Sensing Station (OBSS). GA-ASI says it leveraged advanced model-based digital engineering to accelerate development of the aircraft while optimizing capabilities for the future air domain.
Compared to the XQ-67, the YFQ-42A features a serrated-edged engine air inlet, similar to the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, as well as apparently slightly modified fuselage mold lines. The nose is also different, going from the “shovel” design of the XQ-67 to a more conventional one.
Differences can be seen in the wing design, with the YFQ-42 showing a higher sweep angle and higher taper ratio, as well as a larger surface area. The V-tails, although angled similarly to the XQ-67, appear to be shorter, with a higher taper ratio and no clipped tips.
These design changes could be the result of attempts to reduce the fuselage radar cross section to meet the stealth requirements of the CCA program. Additionally, the modifications reflect the CEC’s speed and maneuverability requirements.
A central element of the program is the autonomy core that will allow the YFQ-42 to operate alongside manned aircraft. The company says this core has been refined over more than five years of testing on the MQ-20 Avenger, which is also used to test multiple autonomous agents for the Air Force.
By combining a stealthy air-to-air focused design with this AI-powered autonomy, the YFQ-42A aims to provide warfighters an advantage in future combat scenarios. Originally intended to complement the Next Generation Air Dominance manned fighter, the Boeing F-47, the CCAs will also fly with current fifth-generation platforms, the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
GA-ASI emphasized that the program is designed around scalability and affordability. The company is preparing for high-speed production that would support the Air Force’s stated goal of fielding more than 1,000 CCAs on an accelerated schedule.
The F-22 as a “threshold platform” for CCA
According to a recent report of aviation weekThe US Air Force will initially pair CCAs only with the F-22 Raptor. In fact, the service mentioned in a report to Congress that the Raptor is the “threshold platform” for CCA, as it considers integration with the F-16, F-35A, F-15E and F-15EX.
“America’s adversaries are countering American airpower with increased mass and challenging air defense design that limits the United States’ ability to project combat power in traditional ways,” the report says. “CCAs enable risk-tolerant aircraft at a lower price and serve as a force multiplier.”
aviation week He further mentioned that the report says that CCAs are “expected to increase the survivability of manned aircraft, while expanding sensor coverage, carrying additional weapons, increasing the capability of fighter aircraft, providing flexibility for different missions, and providing a less expensive option compared to manned fighters.”
The Air Force is also continuing parallel testing with the XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aircraft to prepare for the introduction of CCA. In fact, the service has recently demonstrated the ability to have multiple autonomous collaborative platforms (ACP) flying alongside manned fighter aircraft.
During an air combat training scenario at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, pilots of an F-16C Fighting Falcon and an F-15E Strike Eagle each controlled two XQ-58As. The test has been defined as “a great leap in collaboration between humans and machines.”
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) also said that the goal of integrating the XQ-58 into air combat scenarios is to reduce pilot workload while improving situational awareness and mission effectiveness. Additionally, “data from the recent flight demonstration will inform future development and deployment of semi-autonomous capabilities across the Department of Defense,” apparently referring to CCAs.
