Flight Tests of Future YFQ-42A Fighter Drone Have Begun in US

The United States has begun flight tests of the YFQ-42A fighter drone.

General Atomics reported that the tests are being conducted in cooperation with the US Air Force.

The company plans to launch serial production of the fighter and offer a competitive price for armies.

“It was our cooperation that made it possible to build and fly the first YFQ-42A in less than a year,” General Atomics said.

The YFQ-42A is equipped with an autonomous core that has been tested for years on the MQ-20 Avenger drone, the successor to the MQ-9 Reaper attack drone.

Avenger also has the function of autonomous control of several drones. It is possible that the YFQ-42A will have a similar capability.

The company plans to integrate air-to-air missiles capable of destroying other aircraft into the new drone.

“The integrated capabilities of a stealthy unmanned air-to-air jet combined with a proven autonomous AI-based core give the army an advantage in future battles,” the company said.

These drones are designed to become “faithful assistants” to modern manned fighters.

The US Air Force believes that a single manned fighter jet can control more drones than previously thought, and with less complex autonomous technologies.

The development of such drones is being carried out within the framework of the CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) concept. They are intended to complement or even replace manned fighters in certain combat roles.

By 2029, it is planned to deploy more than 150 CCA units, which will participate in reconnaissance and combat operations together with 5th and 6th generation aircraft.