First flight of US sixth-gen F-47 jet's 'loyal wingman' combat drone

The US Air Force, in partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), has successfully completed the first test flight of the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, a jet-powered uncrewed fighter drone designed to operate alongside manned sixth-generation fighters. Built and flown in just over a year, this drone represents one of the fastest development cycles for a production-representative military aircraft. The YFQ-42A is part of the Air Force’s broader Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, which aims to deploy over 1,000 affordable autonomous jets to enhance air dominance in future conflicts. Unlike previous GA-ASI drones, the YFQ-42A is specifically engineered for air-to-air combat, featuring a stealthier airframe and advanced AI autonomy core trained through thousands of test hours to operate semi-independently with manned fighters. The drone’s design builds on prior concepts and extensive flight test experience from GA-ASI’s MQ-20 Av