General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is now flying a second example of the company’s YFQ-42A prototype jet.
Photos released by General Atomics on 3 November show what appears to be two fully capable YFQ-42As arranged on the flight line. Separate images of one of the jets in flight show a tail number of 004.
Previously released photos of YFQ-42A’s inaugural sortie in August indicate that milestone flight was made by YFQ-42A tail number 002.
In response to an inquiry from FlightGlobal, General Atomics on 4 November confirmed it is flying two examples of the prototype fighter, which is being developed for the US Air Force under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme.
“We are in rate production,” says C Mark Brinkley, head of strategic communications for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
Initial YFQ-42A flights are being launched under “stick-and-rudder” remote piloting, rather than using the company’s autonomous control software, as is the ultimate goal.
Brinkley says this represents a deliberate approach to progress the new aircraft through development, rather than challenges with the autonomy software. He notes General Atomics has successfully executed more than 300,000 autonomous take-off and landings across its full portfolio of aircraft.
The company’s rival in the air force CCA programme, Anduril Industries, opted to launch flight testing of its YFQ-44A prototype in full autonomous mode, with the maiden sortie happening on 31 October.
Both companies say they remain on track to meet USAF schedule goals for CCA development, despite different approaches to flight testing.
General Atomics has always positioned its CCA design as being rapidly scalable and ready to quickly transition into large-scale assembly.
In March, the company told FlightGlobal it already had capacity to assemble 18 production-representative CCAs monthly, with some 464,515sq m (5 million sq ft) of manufacturing space available to expand production beyond that current level of 216 uncrewed fighter jets annually.
While General Atomics has numerous uncrewed aircraft offerings, the company’s CCA-class designs are based on the modular line of Gambit aircraft, which uses a common airframe core, with reconfigurable wings, empennage, air intakes, propulsion and payload packages to suit different missions.
The YFQ-42A, which is tailored for air-to-air combat missions, is based on the Gambit 2 configuration.
On 17 October, General Atomics revealed being selected for the US Navy’s carrier-based CCA development effort, with plans to use a new Gambit variant.
Brinkley tells FlightGlobal the firm will use a derivative of the Gambit 5 for the navy’s programme, with specific modifications to support carrier operations.
General Atomics on 4 November separately revealed the sixth and latest variant in the Gambit line, which will feature air-to-ground combat capability.
Photographs of YFQ-42As in action:
