This article is based on an official press release from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and additional industry data.

GA-ASI YFQ-42A Completes Semi-Autonomous Flight Using Third-Party Software

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced a significant technical achievement in the development of the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. In early February 2026, the company successfully conducted a semi-autonomous flight of its YFQ-42A prototype, a critical contender for the Air Force’s future fleet of uncrewed “loyal wingmen.”

The flight, which lasted more than four hours, is particularly notable for its Software architecture. According to the company, the aircraft was controlled by “Sidekick” Collaborative Mission Autonomy software developed by Collins Aerospace, an RTX business. This integration demonstrates the viability of the Air Force’s “open architecture” strategy, where mission software from one vendor can successfully pilot an airframe built by another.

Validating the Open Architecture Vision

The primary objective of this flight test was to validate the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA). Historically, military aircraft have relied on proprietary software tightly coupled with the hardware, making upgrades difficult and locking the military into specific vendors. The CCA program aims to break this paradigm by decoupling the “brains” from the “body.”

During the mission, the YFQ-42A utilized the government-standard A-GRA to interface with the Collins Aerospace software. GA-ASI reports that the aircraft executed complex commands initiated by a ground operator but performed the actual flight maneuvers via onboard Automation.

David R. Alexander, President of GA-ASI, highlighted the importance of this collaboration in a statement:

“The integration of Sidekick with our YFQ-42A demonstrates our commitment to innovation and operational excellence… We are excited to collaborate with Collins to deliver enhanced autonomous mission solutions.”

Human-on-the-Loop Operations

The operational concept demonstrated during this flight is described as “human-on-the-loop.” Rather than a pilot remotely controlling the aircraft’s stick and rudder, a human operator at a Ground Station Console (GSC) issues high-level mission commands. The aircraft’s autonomy software then determines the necessary altitude, airspeed, navigation, and sensor adjustments to execute those orders.

Ryan Bunge, Vice President at Collins Aerospace, emphasized the speed at which this integration occurred:

“The rapid integration of Sidekick onto this General Atomics platform… underscores the strength and flexibility of our open systems approach.”

Strategic Context: The Race for Collaborative Combat Aircraft

This milestone comes at a pivotal moment for the CCA program. The U.S. Air Force intends to field a fleet of at least 1,000 uncrewed aircraft to fly alongside manned fighters like the F-35 and the forthcoming Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform. The program emphasizes “affordable mass,” with target unit costs estimated between $20.5 million and $27.5 million.

GA-ASI is currently competing against Anduril Industries for the Increment 1 production contract. While Anduril’s YFQ-44A “Fury” conducted its First-Flight in October 2025, GA-ASI is leveraging its extensive history with the MQ-20 Avenger and XQ-67A sensing station to demonstrate reliability and modularity.

AirPro News Analysis

The successful integration of Collins Aerospace software onto a General Atomics airframe is a major proof point for the Department of Defense’s acquisition strategy. By proving that third-party autonomy can drive the YFQ-42A, GA-ASI effectively de-risks the program for the Air Force.

This capability prevents “vendor lock,” allowing the Air Force to upgrade tactical software, effectively the aircraft’s tactical instincts, without needing to modify the physical airframe. If the software from one vendor outperforms another in simulation, the Air Force theoretically retains the flexibility to swap “apps” on the aircraft, ensuring the fleet remains adaptable to evolving threats without the long lead times associated with traditional hardware updates.

Future Outlook and Testing

Following this successful semi-autonomous flight, the testing schedule for the CCA program is expected to accelerate throughout 2026. The Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) at Nellis Air Force Base is slated to conduct advanced trials, which will likely involve joint flights pairing these uncrewed systems with manned fighters to test tactical coordination.

Additionally, the U.S. Marine Corps has selected the YFQ-42A to evaluate for its own MUX TACAIR program, further expanding the potential market for GA-ASI’s platform. A production decision for the CCA Increment 1 program is expected by the end of Fiscal Year 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the YFQ-42A?

The YFQ-42A is GA-ASI’s prototype for the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. It is a stealthy, jet-powered uncrewed aircraft designed to operate alongside manned fighters.

What is A-GRA?

A-GRA stands for Autonomy Government Reference Architecture. It is a government-owned standard designed to allow software from different vendors to work on various hardware platforms, promoting competition and easier upgrades.

Who provides the software for the YFQ-42A?

While GA-ASI builds the airframe, the recent test flight utilized “Sidekick” mission autonomy software provided by Collins Aerospace (RTX), demonstrating the open architecture capability.

Sources

• General Atomics Aeronautical Systems