General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has delivered a new FQ-42 Vengeance uncrewed fighter to Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, marking another milestone in the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme. The aircraft arrived on 18 September to continue testing and evaluation activities.
The FQ-42 Vengeance is designed to operate alongside crewed combat aircraft, supporting collaborative missions through autonomous and semi-autonomous capabilities. Previous demonstrations involving GA-ASI’s XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station and MQ-20 Avenger aircraft have explored AI-enabled flight operations and coordinated control with F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II fighters.
Featuring an internal weapons bay and low-observable design elements, the FQ-42 has conducted formation flights alongside F-35 and F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. These trials aim to advance the integration of uncrewed combat platforms into future air operations.
The US Air Force selected GA-ASI in April 2024 to develop production-representative flight-test aircraft for the CCA programme. The FQ-42 completed its maiden flight in August 2025 and was selected for an initial production contract in June 2026.
GA-ASI has established a new low-observable paint facility to support manufacturing and says it is positioned to produce six aircraft per month, with additional capacity available for future orders. Production is underway using company investment as government funding plans progress.
The FQ-42 and XQ-67A belong to GA-ASI’s Gambit Series of next-generation uncrewed combat aircraft. Their modular architecture is designed to support faster integration of new systems, weapons and autonomy software, enabling adaptation to evolving operational requirements.
