The prototype of the US unmanned fighter jet is ready to fly. First photos of the YFQ-42

The American company General Atomics has created the first functional prototype of an unmanned fighter jet, named YFQ-42A.

General David Alvin, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, published a photo of the first prototype.

“As the Department of Defense counters threats under the leadership of the Secretary of Defense, unmanned aircraft are proving to be not only cost-effective, but also truly lethal… Without a doubt, these unmanned fighter jets will force our adversaries to be cautious!” the general reported.

According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the name YFQ-42A was first announced by the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force in a speech at the AFA Warfare Symposium on March 3.

Then, the existence of two prototypes, the YFQ-42A, manufactured by General Atomics, and the YFQ-44A from Anduril, was reported.

According to the US Air Force aircraft naming rules, Y stands for prototype, F for fighter, and Q for unmanned. Once the prototype goes into production, the Air Force will drop the Y from the name.

“We have two prototypes of Collaborative Combat Aircraft that were on paper less than a couple of years ago. For the first time in our history, we have a fighter designation in the YFQ-42 Alpha and the YFQ-44 Alpha—maybe just symbolic, but it’s telling the world that we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare,” Alvin noted at the time.

These drones are designed to become “faithful assistants” that can fly alongside new and existing manned fighters, including the F-35 Lightning II. The Air Force believes that a single piloted fighter jet can control more drones than initially anticipated, and do so using less complex autonomous technologies.

“YFQ-42A will be critical in securing air dominance for the Joint Force in future conflicts, leveraging autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments,” General Atomics reported.

No details about the YFQ-42A are currently available. It can be assumed that it was based on General Atomics’ experimental unmanned aircraft, the XQ-67A. It made its first flight in March 2024.

Such drones are being developed within the framework of the CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) unmanned aircraft concept. They are expected to complement or replace manned aircraft in certain combat roles.

By 2029, it is planned to deploy over 150 CCA units, which will operate in both reconnaissance and combat operations alongside 5th and 6th-generation aircraft.