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3w ago

General Atomics Drone-Wingman Returns to Flight After Autopilot Fix

The cleared return signals the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program can stay on track for a 2026 production decision through a multi-vendor testing approach that sustained risk-reduction work.

Image
Pictured is a U.S. Air Force photo of Lt. Col. Matthew "Doubled" Jensen, the commander of the Experimental Operations Unit at Nellis AFB, Nev.

Overview

  • A GA-ASI YFQ-42A crashed during takeoff on April 6, destroying the airframe but causing no injuries.
  • A joint General Atomics–Air Force safety review traced the mishap to an autopilot miscalculation of weight and center of gravity and prompted a software remediation.
  • Technical authorities endorsed the software changes and GA-ASI announced that YFQ-42A flight testing resumed on May 21.
  • The Air Force kept program momentum by flying Anduril’s YFQ-44A with its Experimental Operations Unit so operational integration work continued while GA-ASI paused sorties.
  • The CCA effort is moving toward an Increment 1 production decision later in 2026 and the service has requested roughly $1.4 billion for development and nearly $1 billion for initial procurement in FY2027 planning.