Aviation News – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has delivered a new FQ-42 Vengeance to Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on September 18, supporting the U.S. Air Force’s rapidly advancing Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The delivery marks another milestone in the development and operational testing of autonomous and semi-autonomous combat aircraft designed to work alongside crewed fighter jets.
The FQ-42 Vengeance, developed and produced by GA-ASI, will continue test and evaluation activities with U.S. Air Force units at Creech AFB. The ongoing program focuses on exploring the aircraft’s capabilities and assessing how uncrewed combat aircraft can support future air operations.
GA-ASI has been involved in several experimental aviation initiatives supporting the development of collaborative combat capabilities. Previous flight activities have brought together the FQ-42 Vengeance, XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station, and MQ-20 Avenger, with the aircraft operating in various scenarios designed to expand the possibilities of modern combat aviation.
The aircraft have demonstrated semi-autonomous and autonomous flight operations, including the use of different AI pilots and collaborative control involving human fighter pilots flying the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. These tests examine how uncrewed aircraft can operate alongside crewed platforms and contribute to future mission concepts.
“The CCA program’s rate of progress has been incredible,” said Mike Atwood, GA-ASI Vice President of Advanced Programs. “Every week, the Air Force is pushing forward with new and more impressive accomplishments using Vengeance. It’s amazing to think of how far this program has come in such a short amount of time.”
The latest delivery enables the U.S. Air Force to continue experimenting with the FQ-42 Vengeance and its potential role in future combat aviation. Further testing is expected to provide additional insights into autonomous operations, human-machine collaboration, and the integration of uncrewed aircraft into advanced air combat missions.
The FQ-42 Vengeance represents GA-ASI’s contribution to the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. Its continued testing at Creech AFB supports research into autonomous flight and cooperation between crewed and uncrewed aircraft. Future evaluations will help shape the development of next-generation combat aviation capabilities.
